tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/runners-18304/articlesRunners – The Conversation2024-01-01T14:50:37Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2169792024-01-01T14:50:37Z2024-01-01T14:50:37ZWhy some amateur athletes are giving up on smartwatches<p>Measuring the number of steps you take every day; tracking your heart rate, your pace or average ascent while jogging; memorizing the total distance you cycle over the course of a year and sharing it with an online community. These practices have become commonplace in the world of sport, even for amateurs.</p>
<p>This digitization of physical activity is unfolding against the backdrop of a global proliferation of self-quantification tools used to measure productivity at work, track <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1461444817698478">calorie intake</a>, <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/snyderlab/news/May-24-20211.html">blood sugar levels</a> and weight, monitor <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37461799/">sleep regulation</a> and more.</p>
<p>The market for these tools in sports activities, alone, is both <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Quantified+Self-p-9781509500598">lucrative and competitive</a>. As Finnish researchers <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373143547_Running_free_recreational_runners%27_reasons_for_non-use_of_digital_sports_technology">Pekka Mertala and Lauri Palsa</a> report, the digital sports technology business is estimated to be worth $12 billion a year, with more than 10,000 portable digital devices for running, alone. Some 90 per cent of amateur runners now use a smartwatch or mobile application.</p>
<p>Tracking your body with numbers is associated with a series of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016821002210">promises</a> to become more active, happy and healthy, and with the concept of empowerment. Because of its objectivity and transparency (compared with the approximate nature of bodily sensations), this knowledge is considered to be the foundation of a <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70982364.pdf">personal self-optimization project</a>.</p>
<p>These embedded devices are also used for motivational support, to encourage regularity and assiduity and to put an end to lifestyle habits that are deemed unhealthy. Becoming part of a community of exercisers can also increase motivation by interweaving systems of mutual encouragement and competition.</p>
<p>Yet we are currently seeing a slowdown in this market linked to a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360361258_Why_Do_People_Abandon_Activity_Trackers_The_Role_of_User_Diversity_in_Discontinued_Use">massive phenomenon of either discontinuing the use of digital devices</a> or, at the very least, using them for short periods.</p>
<h2>The discontinuation of connected devices</h2>
<p>First of all, we should recall that the adoption of connected devices for sports is <a href="https://www.credoc.fr/publications/barometre-du-numerique-2019">not evenly distributed across the population</a>. It is over-represented among men who are urban, highly educated, socially advantaged and physically active. In addition, the 30-39 age group is the most equipped with <a href="https://www.cairn.info/revue-reseaux-2019-4-page-119.htm">smart bracelets and smartwatches</a>.</p>
<p>While certain population groups have less access to these embedded technologies, others who have acquired them will stop using them, usually after a limited period of use. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/16138171.2021.1918896">The mechanisms that lead to this are extremely varied</a>, and include logistical overload, the time-consuming dimension of transferring and interpreting data, a lack of accuracy and reliability in data collection, and difficulty in interpreting and using data, among others.</p>
<p>We believe that the rejection of these devices may be the result of a <a href="https://www.implications-philosophiques.org/lauto-quantification-de-son-activite-sportive-altere-t-elle-la-qualite-de-lexperience-vecue-un-scenario-possible-de-labandon-massif-des-pratiques-de-self-tracking/">deterioration in the quality of the experience of a sport</a> when using them. For some participants, putting numbers on an activity actually <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26570266">leads them to experience it more as forced labour than as free, self-determined leisure</a>.</p>
<p>Intrinsic motivation (the pleasure of running for its own sake) then tends to be supplanted by extrinsic motivation (rewards, comparisons, mutual monitoring). The context of a constant call to excel can lead to an anticipated fear of failure, as well as a feeling of shame and guilt in the event of underperformance. Cognitive overload and distracted attention can also lead to a <a href="https://www.cairn.info/revue-corps-2016-1-page-115.htm">disconnect from the here-and-now of one’s activity and the bodily sensations related to it</a>.</p>
<p>Looking at it differently, the withdrawal of the smartwatch could be an act of resistance with strong political, philosophical or even spiritual significance. This may be a desire to break away from what is perceived as a generalized surveillance system, to <a href="https://theconversation.com/sport-comment-les-reseaux-sociaux-transforment-les-pratiques-des-jeunes-207440">emancipate oneself from the pressure of sports social networks</a>, to reject a materialistic race to over equip or even to <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a36959570/running-without-any-technology/">put the emphasis back on bodily sensations in sports training</a>.</p>
<p>The attitude of rejection can be linked to <a href="https://aoc.media/analyse/2023/01/23/sobrietes-sportives-choisies/">the emergence of minimalist values</a> such as sobriety, voluntary simplicity and frugality. It’s a question of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373143547_Running_free_recreational_runners'_reasons_for_non-use_of_digital_sports_technology">rediscovering a form of lost freedom</a>, of lightness, or even of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cmscontent/ASJ/Acceleration_and_Resonance.pdf">resonance</a>.</p>
<h2>The adherence to quantification tools</h2>
<p>Not all amateur runners who have started using a digital self-quantification tool have stopped using it. While dropping the tools is a significant and explainable phenomenon, the reasons for sticking to them must also be considered. What are the conditions that enable amateur runners to continue practising and quantifying their performance numerically while deriving pleasure and well-being from the activity?</p>
<p>We showed that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366028928_Quelles_experiences_intimes_et_pratiques_effectives_de_la_course_a_pied_quantifiee_Etude_des_usages_ordinaires_des_montres_connectees_chez_des_coureurs_et_coureuses_amateures_a_partir_d%27une_auto-expli">the amateur runners who persevered in using digital tools were the ones who had developed a high level of expertise in self-quantification</a>. More specifically, they managed to cobble together and incorporate a series of tactics, or even <a href="https://www.gallimard.fr/Catalogue/GALLIMARD/Folio/Folio-essais/L-invention-du-quotidien">“everyday tricks,”</a> to use Michel de Certeau’s expression, which enabled them to interact with their digital device without altering the quality of their sporting experience.</p>
<p>A first approach in this is to differentiate and alternate the uses of the smartwatch over time. To begin with, they modulate the intensity and types of usage of the tool to adapt to changing life conditions (for example, by suspending the goal to exceed performance levels during a year when family life is demanding). They also learn to let go of certain areas of quantification (sleep, for example) in order to focus their efforts exclusively on running.</p>
<p>When it comes to the training cycle, these runners <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2159676X.2023.2225516">differentiate their modes of interaction with the tool</a> (frequency of consulting the tool, nature of the data collected) according to the type of training session they are engaged in. For example, they reserve intensive use of the smartwatch for interval training sessions but only consult it occasionally during recovery runs, marathon pace workouts or technical sessions. Finally, during a given running session, the runners target certain key moments when they consult their watch. Others never look at the watch during their run but only afterwards, or the other way around.</p>
<p>A second tactic consists of agreeing to adjust, revise or even abandon goals along the way, depending on a runner’s perceived state of fitness and/or environmental conditions. <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/health/exercise-fitness/do-you-really-need-10000-steps-a-day-a1058474912/#:%7E:text=Perhaps%20you%27ve%20heard%20that,and%20still%20get%20serious%20benefits">This flexibility</a> reflects the development of a relationship of self-care and benevolence towards oneself.</p>
<p>Finally, a third everyday tactic leads amateur runners to take systematic care to put into context what they consider to be counter-performances. Far from considering the figures only in their raw form, they use them to understand the mechanisms underlying the process of producing counter-performance (bad night, professional stress, etc.).</p>
<h2>The nature of the attachment to the device</h2>
<p>We wanted to gain a better understanding of the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373196405_Understanding_the_lived_experience_of_self-tracking_among_runners_by_taking_off_their_digital_watch_The_imposed_withdrawal_as_a_methodological_tool_for_approaching_the_embodiment_of_the_digital_techno">connection runners formed with their digital tracking device</a>. To do this, we asked them to take it off for a single running session, while describing in real time, using a Dictaphone, how they felt. This change, which was out of the ordinary for most of them, turned out to be particularly destabilizing and revealed how <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14614448221083992">deeply incorporated their use of, and attachment to the tool was</a>.</p>
<p>All the subjects we studied initially admitted to being very apprehensive about the idea of running without their watch. They tried to deal with it in different ways: by postponing the outing; by running on a course that they had just completed with the watch, so as to use numerical reference points; by using the Dictaphone to estimate the duration and pace of the run; and, finally, by hiding a watch in a backpack to be able to record the amount of running they had done. </p>
<p>Most of the participants then felt a motivational void caused by the absence of the watch, which, when worn, functioned as an incentive to perform and a way to challenge themselves. They felt that the session without the watch was longer, harder, more painful and even pointless: why push yourself if you don’t know the exact result and it’s neither recorded nor stored?</p>
<p>The runners also noted that the simple fact of wearing the watch prompted them to over-focus attention on numbers to the detriment of their running technique, the external environment or their bodily sensations.</p>
<p>The absence of the watch was also seen by some as physically destabilizing. Deprived of their tool, the runners felt naked, unbalanced and asymmetrical and more often than not, they were unable to inhibit the reflex gesture of consulting it – proof that the object and movement associated with using it had been assimilated into the runner’s bodily habits. Lastly, some of them found it extremely difficult to regulate their running and reliably estimate common variables such as length, distance, speed and heart rate.</p>
<p>Ultimately, there’s nothing spontaneous, magical or automatic about interacting with your quantification device in a functional way. It has to be learned and built patiently. <a href="https://journals.openedition.org/ejrieps/7754">Physical and sports education in schools must adopt a training role in this field</a>, as digitalization is becoming unavoidable in the <a href="https://boutique.territorial.fr/sport-et-numerique-option.html">world of sports</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216979/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthieu Quidu received funding from the University of Lyon 1 for a research project entitled, "In search of sobriety: sociological insights into the emergence of minimalist sporting practices."</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brice Favier-Ambrosini received funding from the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC) for a project entitled "Identifying the essential, eliminating the rest," an analysis of the trend towards minimalism in the consumption of sports leisure activities.
</span></em></p>To better measure their activity and become members of a sports community, many amateur athletes are adopting smartwatches and digital tools. But others are giving them up.Matthieu Quidu, Maître de conférences en sociologie du sport, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Brice Favier-Ambrosini, Professor, Educational sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1796292022-04-13T12:13:29Z2022-04-13T12:13:29ZHow math – and eating while running – can help you complete your best marathon<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457489/original/file-20220411-17-v4whu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Long-distance running requires planning, from pacing to stoking the body's engines.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nick Morgan</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Whether standing at the starting line for a high school cross-country competition or, years later, at the cold rainy 2018 Boston Marathon, I have always been nervous before races. </p>
<p>In November 2021, I was again at the starting line, this time at the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis. And while I’ve always prepared for a race, this time I did it differently.</p>
<p>I’d spent the previous three years doing scientific research as part of my doctoral program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, showing, mathematically, how to use nutrition and training to run an optimal race.</p>
<p>While there is significant research on pacing, training and eating, there has been little research done at the intersection of math and running. The research that has been done focuses mainly on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1137/090749384">shorter races, like the 800-meter</a>, instead of longer distances, and none of it focuses on the practice of eating while running. I wanted to find out how a marathon runner could maximize energy output to run the fastest possible race. </p>
<p>My colleagues <a href="https://math.utk.edu/people/Suzanne-Lenhart/">Suzanne Lenhart</a>, <a href="https://nutrition.utk.edu/guoxun-chen-phd-lab/">Guoxun Chen</a> and <a href="https://people.clas.ufl.edu/hager/">William Hager</a> and I combined mathematics with research from the worlds of nutrition and sports science to identify how a runner’s speed should change throughout a race – and how much and when to eat during the run. </p>
<h2>Marathon performance</h2>
<p>The marathon emerged from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-uncertain-origins-of-the-modern-marathon-79493">an ancient Greek legend</a> of Pheidippides, a messenger who ran 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens in 490 B.C. to bring news about a Persian invasion – or possibly, to announce the Athenians’ victory. </p>
<p>More than 2,000 years later, in 1896, the <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-modern-olympic-games">first modern Olympics</a> included a marathon. The next year, the <a href="https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/history">first Boston Marathon</a> was held. The race, likely the most famous of more than 1,100 marathons organized in the U.S. each year, will mark its 126th anniversary on April 18.</p>
<p>Completing a 26.2-mile marathon requires both training and strategy. Pacing is key: A runner who takes off at a sprint can’t expect to maintain that speed. In the 1920s, runners first realized the need to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001">stoke energy</a> during long-distance runs and began sucking on hard candies during races. Today, a lucrative industry sells energy gels, gummies, sports drinks and other in-race nutritional products. </p>
<p>That’s because running is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.020">energy game</a>, fueled by stored fat and glycogen. During high exertion, the body <a href="https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.91394.2008">burns mainly glycogen</a>, a complex carbohydrate structure used to store energy in the muscles and liver. </p>
<p>That’s where nutrition planning comes in. The body has plenty of stored fat, but a limited supply of <a href="https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/training/how-to-avoid-hitting-the-wall/">glycogen</a>, enough to run maybe 15 miles. Eating carbohydrate-loaded meals leading up to a race builds <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/76/4/243/4851715">glycogen stores</a>. </p>
<p>But high-speed or long-distance running can exhaust available glycogen, triggering a miserable and well-known experience known as “bonking” or “hitting the wall.” When the body runs out of sugar to burn, muscles cramp up and, in extreme cases, a runner may experience dizziness or confusion, or may even collapse. The antidote: consuming simple sugar during a race.</p>
<h2>Modeling racing biology</h2>
<p>To show scientifically how to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3128231">run the fastest possible race</a>, my colleagues and I built a computer model. It relies on various <a href="https://gccoaching.fit/2019/02/18/breaking-down-ftp-vla-max-vs-vo2-max/">personal parameters</a> such as a runner’s weight and ability to absorb oxygen, which is calculated by most sports watches.</p>
<p>Other factors include the rate at which a runner burns calories and how quickly the body clears lactate, a compound that makes the muscles feel heavy when it accumulates. We incorporated equations for speed; changes in available energy from fat and glycogen; and the energy boost from food consumed during the race. </p>
<p>Then we programmed in our goal: determining how a simulated marathoner can run the most efficient 26.2-mile race. </p>
<p>We evaluated various combinations of speed and available energy alongside fuel intake, ranging from 100 to 1,100 calories. Overall, our model shows that maintaining a fairly constant speed from start to finish helps a runner achieve top performance. </p>
<p>The results differ significantly from person to person. The model reveals an individual’s best speed and calculates the amount of calories they should take in, based on personal needs, and when to consume them. The model also generates graphs to visually depict results. All can be improved with dedicated training, making a runner more energy efficient.</p>
<h2>Optimizing performance</h2>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MoxFkJlVZlA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Legendary marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya made world history with his 2019 run in Austria.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since this model is based on biological phenomena, not data, we needed to validate the approach. So we compared a simulation of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/sports/eliud-kipchoge-marathon-record.html">Eliud Kipchoge’s 2019 world record-breaking marathon</a> against his actual performance. Kipchoge, the first to ever complete a marathon in under two hours – <a href="https://www.ineos159challenge.com/">1:59:40</a> – gave an amazing physical performance that was optimized by a team of experts. </p>
<p>To compare our simulation with his actual race, we put in his personal parameters alongside the 800 calories he consumed. Our model proved extremely accurate: The simulation differed from Kipchoge’s performance by just one second per mile.</p>
<p>I then used myself to test our model on a runner with a different skill level. I stood on the starting line of the Indianapolis Marathon, prepared to use the model’s pacing strategy and in-race nutrition plan to consume five 100-calorie gels. I finished in 2:37:14, a major personal best for me, more than 15 minutes faster than I’d ever run. The simulation again proved strong: It differed from my true race time by less than 1%.</p>
<p>The ultimate goal of this work is to create a user-friendly application that allows runners to plan in-race nutrition and calculate their best speed, both of which are crucial to running the optimal marathon. </p>
<p>[<em>Get fascinating science, health and technology news.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?nl=science&source=inline-science-fascinating">Sign up for The Conversation’s weekly science newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179629/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cameron Cook does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>What is the best strategy for running your best race? A new computer model might soon join your training team.Cameron Cook, PhD graduate, researcher, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/897222018-01-23T13:47:38Z2018-01-23T13:47:38ZHow to improve your running? Smiling boosts efficiency, researchers find<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202797/original/file-20180122-46213-1qgrn91.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cheerful-athletic-girl-running-outside-339826445?src=mO_q6_6ig1JGPBM_2BKizw-2-68">goodluz/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For athletes of all levels, endurance – how long they can keep going at their chosen sport – is made up of physiological and psychological factors. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2375555/">Physiological factors</a> include cardiovascular fitness, and how efficient an athlete is at using energy (their “movement economy”). A critical psychological factor, on the other hand, is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27240002">perceived effort</a>, or how hard we feel we are working during an activity. The lower our perceived effort, the easier we feel that an activity is. </p>
<p>Crucially, any strategy that reduces how much an athlete perceives it to be an effort generally has a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25771784">positive effect</a> on endurance performance. One of the more surprising approaches could be to deliberately manipulate one’s facial expression. As peculiar as it may seem, many top athletes, including Olympic marathon gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge, strategically use <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/nike-breaking2-marathon-eliud-kipchoge/">periodic smiling during performance</a> to relax and cope. </p>
<p>In addition, research has also suggested that intentional smiling <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9b5b/99150c0ffa260e2f207983984802415ec3e0.pdf">may reduce effort perception</a> during physical activity in comparison with frowning. However, until we began <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029217303461">our latest investigation</a>, no study had looked into the actual effects of facial expressions on movement economy or perceived effort during endurance activity that has a longer duration.</p>
<h2>Runner research</h2>
<p>We asked 24 club-level runners to complete four six minute running blocks on a treadmill. Each six minute run was performed during a single session, with a two minute rest between each bout. During each run, participants either smiled (specifically a real or “Duchenne” smile, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/thriving101/201001/what-science-has-say-about-genuine-vs-fake-smiles">and not a fake smile</a>), frowned (runners mimicked their own facial expression during intense running), attempted to consciously relax their hands and upper-body (by imagining they were holding a crisp but trying not to break it), or adopted their normal focus of attention during running. </p>
<p>Each participant also wore a breathing mask that allowed us to measure how much oxygen they consumed while running. By measuring the oxygen, we could work out how much energy the runner had used. After each run, we asked participants to report on a number of perceptual responses, including their perceived effort during the preceding six minutes.</p>
<p>Our key finding was that participants were most economical (they used less energy) while smiling. Remarkably, participants were 2.8% more economical when smiling than frowning, and 2.2% more economical in comparison with the normal thoughts condition. These reductions would be enough to expect a meaningful improvement in performance in race conditions. </p>
<p>Participants also reported a higher perceived effort when frowning than smiling or when attempting to relax their hands and upper body. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202796/original/file-20180122-46219-1bnf9c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eliud Kipchoge smiles during the 44th BMW Berlin Marathon.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/berlin-germany-september-24-2017-handbike-721775266?src=e15Vacg67n2GZqvqd1j4cQ-1-25">dominika zarzycka/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Collectively, these results suggest that smiling may be a beneficial strategy to improve running economy, and to reduce perception of effort in comparison with frowning. In contrast, not only does frowning <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20832447">reflect effort during physical activity</a>, but may actually, in turn, increase our perception of effort.</p>
<p>But why exactly did facial expression impact the runners’ economy and perceived effort? Interestingly, our findings are supported by the concept of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17510358">embodied emotion</a> – the idea that adopting a facial expression can influence how emotions are experienced. </p>
<p>We also know that relaxation strategies can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10331893">improve running economy</a>. So smiling may increase relaxation among runners, while frowning may increase tension. More deliberate relaxation techniques may need some practice to be effective, however, perhaps explaining why the conscious relaxation cues did not improve running economy in our study.</p>
<h2>Improving your performance</h2>
<p>So what are the practical implications of this study? And how can you use this research to improve your own running performance? One implication is that smiling may be a useful strategy to improve economy and to make you feel more relaxed during running. In contrast, frowning may increase tension and make your run feel harder. </p>
<p>There are many questions we still need to answer, however. Firstly, how long should you smile for? Like Kipchoge, are periodic (30 second), bouts of smiling sufficient, or do we need to smile continuously like the runners in our study did? Secondly, does smiling also work during other endurance activities, like cycling or rowing? Finally, can a simple relaxation cue – to imagine delicately holding a crisp between your fingers – improve running economy with practice? </p>
<p>A longer training study might answer these questions but, for now, our recommendation is to pay some attention to your facial expression and to smile as much as you can during your run. Even when the miles seem gruelling, try to focus on pleasant memories, beam and say hello to people as you run past, grin at cameras on the sidelines, or even a small smile to yourself when you complete each mile will work too.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/89722/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Metcalfe has received funding from The Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Noel Brick does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Simply smiling or frowning could change your running for the better (or worse).Noel Brick, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Ulster UniversityRichard Metcalfe, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/753062017-05-05T01:53:37Z2017-05-05T01:53:37ZBeware the hype – springy soles won’t make you run much faster<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/166241/original/file-20170421-12645-18gej98.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Springy soles, stiffer shoes, lightweight materials. When does shoe design give some runners an unfair advantage?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/544254466?src=ouwhewYFWf9JXeqj-kg3ig-1-45&size=medium_jpg">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most runners believe a good pair of running shoes is worth the investment. But advances in running shoe technology have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/sports/nikes-vivid-shoes-and-the-gray-area-of-performance-enhancement.html?_r=0">sparked debate</a> about whether shoes help you run faster.</p>
<p>Can they really allow marathon runners to break the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-017-0708-0">elusive two-hour barrier</a>, a challenge set to take place in Italy <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/2-hour-marathon/how-to-watch-saturdays-sub-2-marathon-attempt">this weekend</a>? Or can newer shoes help you improve your personal best? </p>
<p>If they do, can we class these shoes as “performance enhancing” technologies that give runners an unfair advantage?</p>
<h2>Light shoes, better performance</h2>
<p>The weight of your running shoes can have a <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0283-6">significant impact</a> on running performance. As shoes get heavier, muscles use more energy to move your feet, causing you to fatigue earlier, reducing your running performance.</p>
<p>Advances in materials technology have allowed running shoes to get lighter and lighter. Premium running shoes weigh on average 250 to 340 grams each, while the controversial <a href="http://news.nike.com/news/nike-zoom-vaporfly-elite">Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite</a> tips the scales at just 184 grams.</p>
<p>If shoe weight is so important, why not <a href="https://theconversation.com/mondays-medical-myth-run-barefoot-to-prevent-injuries-7901">run barefoot</a>? Running barefoot requires energy to be absorbed by the muscles of the legs and feet when the foot hits the ground. Shoe cushioning can alleviate some of that. However, adding cushioning also increases shoe weight. So, there is a trade-off between the benefit of cushioning and the detrimental effects of added weight.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2014&issue=02000&article=00015&type=abstract">recent study</a> found running in shoes each weighing 211 grams resulted in the same energy consumed for a given running distance (called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_economy">running economy</a>) as running barefoot. And running barefoot on a treadmill, that provides the same cushioning as shoes (without adding weight to the feet), produced a small (~1.6%) improvement in running economy. </p>
<p>So the ideal would be to provide enough cushioning with as little weight as possible for the best running performance.</p>
<h2>Springy shoes, the jury’s out</h2>
<p>Reducing muscular effort at impact through shoe cushioning can be beneficial. But traditional running shoes lose energy with every step (converted mainly to heat). So, this energy must be replaced, through muscular contraction, to propel the runner into the next step and prevent a drop in speed.</p>
<p>In fact, cushioned shoes <a href="http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/13/119/20160174">increase activation</a> of foot and leg muscles during push-off, compared to barefoot running. So the benefit of cushioning during impact may be offset by the increase in muscular effort needed to push off.</p>
<p>What if we could get back the energy lost at impact? Recent developments in running shoe design have focused on developing lightweight cushioning materials that act like springs to store energy from foot impact and return it to help power push off. In theory, this could reduce the muscular effort required to both absorb impact and power push-off and potentially <a href="http://jap.physiology.org/content/92/2/469">improve running economy</a>. </p>
<p>But there are complications we must consider before “springing” to a conclusion.</p>
<p>Springs only return energy they absorb when the shoe hits the ground. Springs cannot generate the <em>extra</em> energy needed to run uphill or accelerate. So muscles must still do this extra work and we do not yet know how a spring influences their ability to do this. This may potentially affect how efficiently you run uphill, downhill, accelerate or slow down.</p>
<h2>Stiff shoes help, but not too stiff</h2>
<p>The way the foot moves is also important. Our toe joints naturally bend when we push off, which dissipates some of the energy added by calf muscle contraction.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165190/original/image-20170413-25898-145hwo3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">High speed x-ray of running foot during push-off, when the toes bend and absorb energy. A hypothetical carbon insole is shown, which should theoretically reduce how much the toes bend and therefore reduce energy lost.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided, with Mike Rainbow, Susan De'Andrea and Nicolai Konow.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Reducing the amount the toes bend by making shoes stiffer can reduce the amount of energy lost. Stiffer soled shoes <a href="http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2006&issue=03000&article=00023&type=abstract">can improve running economy</a>, but only if the bending stiffness is <a href="http://www.jbiomech.com/article/S0021-9290(17)30015-5/abstract">optimised</a> for the specific athlete.</p>
<p>Too stiff and the calf muscles have to work too hard to produce the required forces to rotate the ankle; too soft and the benefit becomes trivial. </p>
<p>So it is not surprising shoes <a href="http://www.runningshoesguru.com/2017/03/nike-zoom-vaporfly-elite-the-shoe-of-breaking2-you-cant-buy/">Nike is preparing</a> for running marathons in under two hours have carbon fibre insoles where the bending stiffness is “tuned” for each runner.</p>
<p>The optimal stiffness of a shoe sole also varies depending on factors like the runner’s weight, leg length and strength. But a bigger design problem is that the optimal bending stiffness also varies with constantly changing factors.</p>
<p>Running at different speeds means we must change how we activate our muscles. But a simple spring, such as the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blade-runners-do-high-tech-prostheses-give-runners-an-unfair-advantage/">carbon fibre blade</a>, cannot change its stiffness for different speeds. </p>
<p>Even if we could tune shoe stiffness as we ran, this wouldn’t help with the added effort required to run uphill or accelerate.</p>
<h2>Are shoes ‘performance enhancing’ devices?</h2>
<p>Advances in shoe technology have the potential to improve running economy. At most, it is estimated this might make a difference of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-017-0708-0">up to 2% in running economy</a> when running on a flat course, in ideal conditions.</p>
<p>For professional runners, we don’t think the latest improvements in design provides an “unfair” advantage because the shoes do not give runners extra energy; they only help preserve energy our muscles generate and are likely to require precise conditions to be effective.</p>
<p>While recreational runners may get a small performance benefit from lighter, better cushioned or slightly springy shoes, they would be better off increasing their fitness, and making sure their next shoes are comfortable and fit to reduce the chance of injury.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/75306/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Glen Lichtwark has received research funding from Asics Oceania to conduct footwear and running related research. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), Cerebral Palsy Alliance and Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation. He currently holds an ARC Linkage project in collaboration with the Australian Sports Commission. He is a council member with the International Society of Biomechanics</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dominic Farris receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) including a current ARC Linkage Project in collaboration with the Australian Sports Commission. He has also applied for ARC funding in collaboration with Asics Oceania to research foot and footwear biomechanics. He is a member of the International Society of Biomechanics. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luke A Kelly has received funding from Asics Oceania to conduct footwear and running related research. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia. He is a member of the scientific committee for Sports Medicine Australia.</span></em></p>Running shoes with springs in the soles have been touted as the next big thing in shoe design. But they won’t turn a weekend warrior into an Olympian.Glen Lichtwark, A/Prof in Exercise and Sport Science, The University of QueenslandDominic Farris, Research fellow, The University of QueenslandLuke A Kelly, Research Fellow, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/693952016-12-05T19:06:48Z2016-12-05T19:06:48ZListen up: running sounds contain clues for injury prevention<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148187/original/image-20161130-16399-cspk3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Landing your feet quietly may help prevent running injuries. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/128271516@N07/15496931977/in/photolist-pBpPYn-pBouWY-doj3nq-oX3TRQ-pRJL4f-pwirCT-pRGecQ-pBrDEf-pBpDjB-pBnpqa-pBmnrT-pBpfbJ-oX37bG-pRJxPf-pwi3Ej-oX3rtE-pTLK8R-pBuBAj-pRFVt3-pTY4zA-pRJLDd-pRGx6q-pBpi3q-pTP1z8-pRH8zL-oX3GFT-pBsW8d-pBpR6x-pBoy8t-pTMyA6-oX5Rbe-pTW2xy-pBocwZ-pTBQ8V-oX37eM-pRHYXU-pBrpAd-pTCevM-oX2Cwd-pBuFPj-oX3exq-pNKekM-pZR693-pZXnAP-qhkot3-esqH4L-pZQ8f7-pTEk8p-pTXccw-pBnHcc">Franck AUDEBRAND/flickr </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The number of Australians who run for exercise has <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/4177.0Media%20Release12011-12">doubled since the mid-2000s</a>. Preventing and managing injuries are common concerns, and can present an ongoing health burden and high cost if not addressed appropriately. </p>
<p>But what if listening to the sound of running could help prevent injuries?</p>
<p>We recently conducted the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2016.1227466">first study</a> to relate running technique with the sound of feet hitting the ground. Listening could prove a simple and effective feedback mechanism for runners, coaches and clinicians to understand how runners land their feet and the potential for certain injuries. </p>
<h2>Your running injury comes from your running style</h2>
<p>Running is most commonly associated with two areas of injury: the knee and the ankle. These two locations account for <a href="bjsm.bmj.com/content/41/8/469">around two thirds</a> of running related lower limb injuries. </p>
<p>The location and type of injury a runner is most at risk of enduring <a href="http://www.runresearchjunkie.com/foot-strike-pattern-and-injury-rates/">appears to be linked</a> with their <a href="http://www.smexe.com.br/artigos/forefoot-strikers-exhibit-lower-running-induced-knee-loading-than-rearfoot-strikers/">foot strike technique</a>, that is, which part of their foot hits the ground first as they stride. A rearfoot strike is the most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17685722">common running technique</a>, and involves initial ground contact made by the heel. This style of running is associated with knee injuries. A forefoot strike, where the initial contact is made by the ball of the foot, is associated with injuries to the ankle (such as Achilles tendonitis). </p>
<p>Knowing how you run is not straight-forward. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4886803/">recent study</a> suggests that more than 50% of people are unable to correctly identify their own running technique. </p>
<h2>Cinematic techniques to record running style</h2>
<p>We investigated whether the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2016.1227466">sounds of foot strike</a> relate to foot strike technique, and if these are linked to impact forces on the body. </p>
<p>A highly sensitive microphone was used to measure the sound of the foot contacting the ground.</p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="3" data-image="" data-title="Rearfoot strike running sounds." data-size="32124" data-source="Leo Ng" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/601/rfs-1-4.m4a" type="audio/mp4">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
Rearfoot strike running sounds.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>31.4 KB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/601/rfs-1-4.m4a">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="3" data-image="" data-title="Forefoot strike running sounds." data-size="33207" data-source="Leo Ng" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/602/ffs-3-1.m4a" type="audio/mp4">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
Forefoot strike running sounds.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>32.4 KB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/602/ffs-3-1.m4a">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<p>We used an 18 camera three dimensional motion analysis system to capture running technique. The system was similar to that used to make the movie <a href="http://avatarblog.typepad.com/avatar-blog/2010/05/behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-motion-capture-technology-used-in-avatar.html">Avatar</a>: it creates a stick figure of the person running, then accurately calculates the angles of the ankle, knee and hip joints. Force plates were also used to measure how much impact the runners exerted on the ground. This is illustrated by the red arrow which extends upwards into the body as the foot lands on the grey plate in the video below. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FBlslJ8sOaA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Force is transferred from the foot to the body during running.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Changing from a noisy to a quiet runner</h2>
<p>We found that when runners were asked to run “quietly”, the sound of their foot impacting the ground was reduced, which was not surprising. However, the maximum forces exerted on the ground, and how quickly these forces were absorbed by the runners (loading rate), were also reduced in quiet running. Runners may be at <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/14/887">greater risk</a> of injuries such as shin splints if forces are absorbed too quickly. It is therefore possible that running “quietly” may reduce your risk of shin splints. </p>
<p>Interestingly, while individual runners were able to reduce their forces by running quietly, across all data there was no overall link between the sound of running and peak forces or force absorption rate. This means that “loud” runners are not necessarily at greater risk of injury than “quiet” runners. However, it does suggest that at an individual level and regardless of your running style, if you aim to lower the sound of your running you may reduce your risk of injury.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most surprising result of the study was that more than three quarters of the runners changed their running foot strike when they were asked to run “quietly”. When running “normally”, around 85% of runners in our study used a rearfoot strike technique, but when asked to run “quietly” the majority of these changed to a midfoot or forefoot strike. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sound waves from runners landing with forefoot and rearfoot strike techniques.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How can I run to avoid injury?</h2>
<p>There are two ways this study may prove useful to the amateur runner. Firstly, runners wishing to reduce the forces going through their joints may be able to achieve this simply by reducing the sound of their foot strike. Secondly, runners who have been professionally advised to change their running foot strike technique may be able to use the sound of their landing as a feedback mechanism. </p>
<p>However, it must be noted that previous research has not shown any <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24500531">mechanical</a> or <a href="http://jap.physiology.org/content/115/2/194">performance</a> advantage of one foot strike technique over the other. There are also no apparent differences in the <a href="http://www.runresearchjunkie.com/foot-strike-pattern-and-injury-rates/">rates of occurrence of injury</a> between the two techniques: it is purely the injury location that changes due to varied force distribution. </p>
<p>Ours is the first research to indicate a relationship between sound, running technique and forces. While it has answered some questions, it has raised many more. For example, we’re interested in whether the sound of running varies between different footwear, and what the effect of speed, gender and running surface are on the sound of running. Further research is needed to answer these questions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/69395/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Do you land on your heel or forefoot when running? Listening to your technique might give you a clue and reduce your chances of injury.Leo Ng, Senior Lecturer (Physiotherapy), Curtin UniversitySarah Stearne, Lecturer, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/643472016-08-24T19:51:13Z2016-08-24T19:51:13ZAdministrative ineptitude threatens to hobble Kenya’s track and field athletes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/135303/original/image-20160824-30222-1bjpr5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet, just 19, waves the Bahraini flag after winning gold over Kenyan competitors at the Rio Olympics. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Reuters/Dominic Ebenbichler</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Kenya emerged as the <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=rio%20olympics%20final%20medals%20table&mie=oly%2C%5B%22%2Fm%2F03tnk7%22%2C1%2C%22m%22%2C1%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C0%5D">top African nation</a> on the Rio Olympics medal table thanks to its track and field team. But the country’s continued international success has masked <a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/35551486">serious management lapses</a>. Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu explains that these are to blame for the steady exodus of athletes to other countries.</em></p>
<p><strong>What ails track and field management in Kenya?</strong></p>
<p>Track and field as a sport has contributed most to the positive global image of Kenya as a sporting super power. This was quite evident in the World Athletics Championships in 2015 when against all odds, Kenya emerged as the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34102562">number one nation</a> ahead of the US, Jamaica, Great Britain, Germany and Russia, among others. </p>
<p>At the Rio Olympics Kenya came second only to the US in track and field medal rankings. In fact, it was only track and field athletes who contributed to Kenya’s medal haul and its 15th place overall on the rankings table.</p>
<p>But this success hides inefficiencies and errors – both of omission and commission – by the administrators who run Kenya’s track and field programmes. </p>
<p>These include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>a poor leadership structure that sees the same people retain a grip on their positions. This cuts out new and fresh ideas to propel the sport forward;</p></li>
<li><p>a growing prevalence of accusations of corruption in selecting athletes for international assignments; </p></li>
<li><p>a lack of proactive action on <a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/35551486">doping control</a> and education. This has seen many athletes failing drug tests or failing to appear for testing; </p></li>
<li><p>the absence of a proper monetary compensation structure for athletes who represent the country in international competitions; </p></li>
<li><p>instability at the secretariat, which is the nerve centre for any successful organisation; and,</p></li>
<li><p>poor management of sponsorship contracts and the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/world/africa/nike-under-scrutiny-as-payments-for-kenya-runners-are-drained.html?_r=0">resources</a> meant for developing the sport. There’s also a lack of support for the other organisations that identify, nurture and provide the young talent such as schools, colleges and universities. </p></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Is Kenya in danger of losing its reputation for talent and hard work?</strong></p>
<p>It is not easy for Kenya to completely lose its reputation as the source of athletic talent. Given the rewards that the emerging athletes earn from their effort, the pipeline of talent will continue. The biggest threat to Kenya’s reputation is the desire to use drugs in an atmosphere of fierce internal competitiveness. The federation has to be extremely diligent in handling doping tests. This must go hand in hand with education.</p>
<p>The consequences of not doing so are severe: Kenya could, in future, find itself suspended from international competitions. This would not be without precedent given Russia’s ongoing <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-russia-klishina-idUSKCN10O0QV">tribulations</a>. </p>
<p><strong>What should be done to prevent further damage to Kenya’s image?</strong></p>
<p>The good performance at the Rio Olympics has made up for the negative publicity over doping control procedures and the absence of the required law. All efforts should be geared to avoid crossing swords with the world anti-doping agency.</p>
<p><strong>Is poor management partly to blame for the exodus of athletes from Kenya to other countries?</strong></p>
<p>Certainly, and the greatest obstacle is poor administration. Poor and potentially embarrassing administrative lapses were evident before and during the Rio Olympics:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>two track and field officials were expelled from the Games over claims of <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/second-kenyan-official-expelled-from-olympics-over-drug-scandal-10532420">doping</a>; </p></li>
<li><p>an administrative <a href="https://tuko.co.ke/154467-drama-jkia-julius-yegos-ticket-rio-olympics-goes-missing.html">lapse</a> saw the world javelin champion without an air ticket to the Games – where he eventually won a silver medal; </p></li>
<li><p>a sprinter with dual citizenship was <a href="http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mobile/article/2000212654/how-noc-k-bungled-entry-bids-for-sprint-star-and-high-jumper">almost disqualified</a> for initially being accredited using a US passport rather than a Kenyan one, and; </p></li>
<li><p>part of the official <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/news/The-scandal-of-Kenya-s-Rio-Olympics/1056-3343980-kvao27z/">kit went missing</a> and athletes had to do with the bare minimum. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>All these lapses and the shenanigans that occur during team selection for international competitions are quite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/23/athletes-storm-athletics-kenya-protest">frustrating</a>, especially for up and coming athletes. </p>
<p>The principal avenue for a young athlete to make a breakthrough is by winning selection to the national team or getting a ticket to an international meeting. When these opportunities are <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Why-athletes-are-switching-allegiance/1100-3348520-15bp7myz/">uncertain</a>, some athletes have turned to looking for <a href="http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/article/2000212161/over-30-athletics-exports-return-to-haunt-kenya-in-rio-olympics">alternative nations</a> desperate for the global recognition sports champions bring.</p>
<p>The other push factor for Kenyan athletes is the sheer number of talented runners jostling for limited opportunities at home. Rules restrict the number of entrants to compete for a nation at most international events, normally to a maximum of three. Such restrictions offer only the best a guarantee of making it into the team. </p>
<p>These factors have contributed to some athletes choosing to run for other countries. </p>
<p><strong>What are some of the other factors attracting Kenyan athletes away from the country?</strong></p>
<p>I discuss these other factors in detail in <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14927713.2012.729787">my research</a>. Certainly, the countries they move to offer better <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Why-athletes-are-switching-allegiance/1100-3348520-15bp7myz/">monetary compensation</a>. These include Bahrain, Qatar, the US, France and the Netherlands. For athletes, whose work-life span is very short, generous compensations outweigh any risks of moving abroad.</p>
<p>Also the right to dual citizenship allows an athlete to run for another country and still have access to all the privileges of being a Kenyan citizen. Most runners who end up in the Middle East do it for <a href="http://deadspin.com/if-youre-a-small-rich-country-you-can-buy-an-olympic-1785302021">short-term monetary benefit</a>.</p>
<p>But those who seek opportunities in Western countries such as the US, France, and the Netherlands do it for <a href="http://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/bernard-lagat.aspx">longer term goals</a> such as uplifting their families. </p>
<p>Other benefits, attractive especially for young athletes, include the ease with which they are selected to run in global competitions. This translates to guaranteed monetary rewards. Many get more freedom to choose where to train and live. They therefore end up running for a foreign country but continue to live, train and invest in Kenya.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/64347/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Kenya’s international success in track and field hides management inefficiencies and corruption that have frustrated athletes and fed a pipeline of runners willing to ditch the national flagWycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Professor, Health and Kinesiology, University of Texas at TylerLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/603982016-08-10T10:25:08Z2016-08-10T10:25:08ZHow to find your best running style<p>Humans have evolved to run in the most efficient way possible. Our ancient ancestors were <a href="http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/508695">persistence hunters</a>, who stalked prey over long distances, relentlessly running them down in a battle of endurance. </p>
<p>In a long distance race against other mammals we would likely be among the last standing. However, the flip side of this is that we are poor sprinters and would lose over short distances. Take Usain Bolt for example: his impressive 100m sprints have seen him set a <a href="http://www.skysports.com/athletics/news/15235/10506023/usain-bolt-what-makes-him-the-fastest-man-in-the-world-sky-sports-investigates">world record of 9.58 seconds</a> – but he would be easily beaten by a cheetah, which can run <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2183092/Cheetah-smashes-speed-record-running-100m-5-95-seconds--40-faster-Usain-Bolt.html">100m in 5.95 seconds</a>, or a brown hare, able to cover 100m in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/19013167">just five seconds</a>.</p>
<p>Humans are born to run, but technique can be coached, trained and improved. When we are young we naturally progress from crawling to walking to running, most likely driven by the desire to explore and get to places more quickly. As we grow, we improve how we run, developing from a fast toddle to a more efficient pace. This changing style not only improves efficiency but is also essential to reduce risk of injury.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/826HMLoiE_o?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Self-optimising technique</h2>
<p>There are several factors that influence our running efficiency, technique is just one of them. “Self-optimisation”, for example, is a subconscious process driven by the body wanting to minimise the metabolic and energetic cost of movement. Basically put, our bodies are lazy, and we don’t want the way we move to be harder work than it has to be. </p>
<p>Endurance runners, like <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/18912148">Team GB’s Mo Farah</a>, will have undertaken <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/34096616">gruelling training programmes</a> to reach peak performance for Rio 2016. These programmes stress the heart and lungs, improving cardiovascular fitness. Essentially, these runners are fine-tuning their heart and circulatory system to meet the demands of the competition. </p>
<p>This same principle of optimisation can be applied to how you run. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22525760">Our research</a> has shown that new runners fine-tune their running technique to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26148145">improve efficiency</a> within 10 weeks of beginning running. The key phase of running from a performance perspective is when we push off the ground. An efficient push off involves positioning the leg to direct as much force as possible in a forwards direction. This can be achieved by retaining some flexion in the knee and ankle – that is, some bending movement – as your foot leaves the ground. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=590&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=590&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/133562/original/image-20160809-5131-5g4f9n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=590&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Leg position during efficient propulsion.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">created by Tom Goom (http://www.running-physio.com), in consultation with Dr Isabel Moore</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Changing running technique for performance improvements needs to be considered carefully, however. The often used phrase “run relaxed” could have performance benefits if it reduces our <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24210693">simultaneous activation of the thigh muscles</a> (quadriceps and hamstrings). However, it may also lead to runners increasing how much they move up and down. This is known as vertical oscillation: greater vertical oscillation leads to greater work being performed against gravity. Ultimately, greater vertical oscillation would therefore be detrimental to performance.</p>
<h2>Colliding with the ground</h2>
<p>Running is made-up of repeated collisions, as our bodies move forwards and down when we collide with the ground. We undergo rapid deceleration with every step we take. From an injury perspective, this braking phase of running, and how we do it, is highly important. Rapid deceleration and <a href="http://runsnrc.org/RUNSNRC/Clinic_-_Supporting_Research_files/Milner_MSSE06.pdf">loading rates</a> have been linked to lower limb injuries, as they cause large loads to be placed through our bones. It is for this reason that we don’t try to come to an abrupt stop when running fast. Our muscles, tendons and ligaments need to be able to control the deceleration to reduce the stress on our body. </p>
<p>There are several ways our foot can impact the ground, known as “<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24054331">foot strike</a>”. This is influenced by many factors such as <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424280.2012.742141?journalCode=tfws20">surface</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25983575">footwear</a>. There is very little conclusive evidence suggesting one foot strike style is better than another from an injury perspective, and for runners who aren’t injured, foot strike style has little effect on performance and is unlikely to be a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26816209">distinguishing performance factor</a> between one runner and another.</p>
<p>How the foot and leg hits the ground does help the body <a href="http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/1WhyConsiderFootStrike.html">reduce the impact forces</a> of these repeated collisions. For example, the majority of runners who wear cushioned trainers have a fairly straight leg when striking the ground with their foot. The trainers provide some cushioning, while also blunting how much we feel impact with the ground. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0Hw3309LIc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>Not every runner chooses to wear cushioned shoes, however: <a href="http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/e-inspire/hall-of-fame-athletes/zola-budd/">middle-distance runner Zola Budd</a>, for example, is famously known for running barefoot. One of the immediate changes to technique when running barefoot is that we increase <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10673110">knee flexion</a>. This helps “cushion” the body when the foot impacts the ground. This change in running style is another possible injury prevention strategy. </p>
<p>Changing one element of running style – such as foot strike style – will effect several other elements, and place unfamiliar stress and strain on muscles, ligaments and joints. So an appropriate transition is required to allow the body to become used to this. If a runner decides to forgo footwear for barefoot running, for example, they should make it a gentle change, as if they were learning to run for the first time. </p>
<p>Humans are definitely born to run but the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-run-like-an-olympian-62858">skill involved can be improved</a>. Knowing why you want to improve is important: do you want to be more efficient or reduce injury risk? The answer to this question will determine what path you should take.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/60398/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Izzy Moore does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In order to become a better runner, you need to consider these factors first.Izzy Moore, Lecturer in Sports Medicine and Biomechanics, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/580332016-04-22T10:59:07Z2016-04-22T10:59:07ZHow to run a marathon (hint: it’s all in the mind)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/119331/original/image-20160419-13948-1tyete8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Be in the running.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Padmayogini/shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Thousands of people graced the streets of London to run the annual <a href="https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/">marathon</a> on Sunday, April 23. Runners spent weeks and months physically training alongside a carefully crafted diet plan to get them in top shape ahead of the big day. </p>
<p>With any marathon or long distance not only is physical preparation important but it is also crucial to prepare mentally for the gruelling number of miles. Because running a marathon is not just about the body – the mind also matters quite a bit as well. </p>
<p>Training your mind for a marathon might sound a bit odd, but preparing mentally is really no different to preparing physically. Just as you would prepare your body, it’s equally important to prepare your mind for the inevitable mental challenges. In fact, <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200737040-00034">research</a> suggests that elite marathoners use specific psychological strategies to help them perform for this unique event.</p>
<h2>Failure to prepare is preparing to fail</h2>
<p>So we all know that [British military adage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Ps_(military_adage) of proper preparation prevents poor performance, but how does that figure when it comes to mentally training for a marathon?</p>
<p>First off, let’s talk about the <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/how-to-avoid-hitting-the-wall-while-running">infamous wall</a>, and what happens when you hit it. Because hitting the wall isn’t just a fallacy, <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/32/3/229.abstract">it really does happen</a>. And it’s probably going to happen to you at some point to you if you’re brave enough to be running the marathon. Hitting the wall is basically about running out of energy. Your legs feel like concrete, your breathing becomes laboured, your stride turns into a shuffle. Negative thoughts flood your mind, and the urge to quit becomes overwhelming. </p>
<p>Identifying imaginary – but realistic – scenarios before the race like “what happens when I hit the wall?” or “what if it rains?” are key to success on the actual day itself. To get the most out of this, runners should identify potential strategies to cope with these situations should they arise on race day. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119335/original/image-20160419-13916-kfdozn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Union Jack onesie was a good idea at the time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bikeworldtravel/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029207000246">a study</a> 315 participants from three eastern seaboard marathons in the United States were asked about their experiences of hitting the wall.</p>
<p>The researchers found that about 43% of participants reported that they hit the wall during the marathon, with results showing that fatigue, unintentional slowing pace, a desire to walk, and a shift in focus to survival were all key features of the wall.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10413200802078267">another study</a>, 57 experienced recreational marathoners were asked about how they coped with hitting the wall. The participants used multiple techniques including physical coping efforts such as supplementation or hydration, emotion-focused coping, so social support, and cognitive strategies like willpower and mental reframing. </p>
<p>To psychologically prepare for the wall runners need to first accept it is probably going to happen and then identify strategies to cope with this situation. </p>
<h2>Talk to yourself</h2>
<p>One such technique to help overcome the wall could be managing your <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201309/make-your-self-talk-work-you">self-talk</a>. Self-talk refers to the “voice” in your head. It is a useful mental strategy to apply to long distance running, and many <a href="http://journals.humankinetics.com/tsp-back-issues/tsp-volume-29-issue-3-september/self-talk-of-marathon-runners">studies</a> have shown the majority of competitive marathon runners use self-talk during marathons. </p>
<p>Runners report using a rich variety of motivational self-talk as well as spiritual self-talk and mantras. Repeating choice words whenever you need to focus can help direct your mind away from negative thoughts and toward a positive experience. </p>
<p>The Sanskrit word “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra">mantra</a>” literally means “instrument for thinking”. As such, short words or phrases can be used effectively to focus the mind. To best manage self-talk, before the race, runners are encouraged to prepare multiple mantras tailored to various challenges. </p>
<p>For example, to overcome inclines, you might use the words “hills are my friend”. Towards the end of the race, you might say to yourself “think strong, be strong, finish strong”. Or you might just be repeating “keep running, don’t stop” over and over again – it really is a case of whatever works for you.</p>
<h2>Maintain your focus</h2>
<p>During a marathon, <a href="http://www.flotrack.org/article/1662-thinking-on-the-run-association-vs-dissociation">association and disassociation</a> are also important cognitive strategies for maintaining focus. Association refers to the monitoring of the body and adjusting pace accordingly, while dissociation refers to using distraction to direct attention away from pain.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01173272">study</a> from the University of North Carolina investigated the association and disassociation cognitive patterns of United States Olympic Marathon trial contestants. </p>
<p>They found that the top finishers employed cognitive strategies that utilised both associative and dissociative techniques, while lower finishers only adopted dissociative strategies. So being at one with your physical state is really important if you’re trying to maintain your focus.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/119694/original/image-20160421-26981-iq6xhs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Because running can be spiritual too.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">oneinchpunch/shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/paula-radcliffes-5-steps-marathon-success">Paula Radcliffe</a> used a variety of associative and dissociative strategies during her running to maintain focus. These included monitoring footstrike and stride pattern, ensuring that her arms were swinging forwards and backwards – rather than from side to side – maintaining awareness of hydration levels, observing breathing patterns, and counting in her head to determine where she was within each mile.</p>
<p>These strategies can help bring a meditative practice to your movement, creating a healthier way to run that’s more enjoyable, with better results for body, mind, and soul. By running in sync with your breadth, watching your stride, and counting in your head, you can enjoy the pure joy of mindful running.</p>
<p>To make sure you’ve got the best chance of success in any long distance run consider putting into practice these three mental strategies before and during race day. And <a href="http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/motivation/paula-radcliffe-mental-strength-training-preview/6650.html">as Radcliffe</a> said: “In long distance events, the importance of your mental state in determining the outcome of a race can’t be overestimated.”</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/58033/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mustafa Sarkar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The mind matters when it comes to marathon running, and here are some top mental tips to help you on your way.Mustafa Sarkar, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/438622015-07-01T04:22:33Z2015-07-01T04:22:33ZThe best time for marathon runners to get on the road<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86687/original/image-20150629-9059-1ufcpk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Intensive sun exposure for marathon runners in the middle of the day could lead to sunburn, skin cancer and cataracts. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rogan Ward/Reuters</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Running has been a popular recreational activity for many years. But for marathon runners who train outdoors, the significant proportion of time they spend in the sun means they are potentially exposed to harmful rays.</p>
<p>Solar ultraviolet radiation can lead to sunburn, fatal skin cancers and cataracts – particularly when the exposure to the sun is for a long time or during the hottest time of the day.</p>
<p>For runners, timing their sun exposure and protecting themselves from excess solar ultraviolet radiation are important in preventing the harmful effects of sun rays.</p>
<h2>Putting skin cancer into perspective</h2>
<p>Across the world, <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm64e0602a1.htm">skin cancer</a> has become the fifth most common cancer for men and seventh for women. Australia and New Zealand have seen large increases in <a href="http://sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/You-Me-and-UV/Looking-Closer/NZ-skin-cancer-statistics">skin cancer</a>. In South Africa, skin cancer forms about 30% of all histologically diagnosed cases of <a href="http://www.cansa.org.za/files/2012/05/SKIN_CANCER_Leaflet-2010.pdf">cancer</a>.</p>
<p>Ultraviolet rays are at their strongest in places that are: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>closer to the equator;</p></li>
<li><p>at a high altitude;</p></li>
<li><p>have snow, or other highly reflective (e.g. water) surfaces;</p></li>
<li><p>have low stratospheric ozone levels (a protective layer up in the atmosphere); and</p></li>
<li><p>have skies free of clouds and particles.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South American countries face a particular risk of skin cancer because of their locations. South Africa, like Australia, is relatively close to the equator. New Zealand has clear skies, and parts of the country are at a high altitude and has several snow surfaces. In spring and early summer, all these countries experience the effects of <a href="http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ozone/">ozone depletion</a>.</p>
<h2>Timing South Africa’s sun rays</h2>
<p><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/php.12461/abstract">Our study</a> is the first to measure the exact time that sun exposure is most harmful. We did this by monitoring a sample of four marathon runners during marathons and training. A high-tech instrument that measures sun exposure was attached to an arm of each of the runners.</p>
<p>What made our study unique was that the instrument measured sun exposure every minute and instantly linked it to a specific time. This enabled us to track the exact movement and location of runners, including when they were likely running in shade.</p>
<p>The results show solar ultraviolet radiation levels at their highest between 10AM and 2PM.</p>
<h2>Tips for marathon runners</h2>
<p>Runners can experience excess sun exposure acutely in the form of sunburn after running for a short-to-medium time during peak solar ultraviolet radiation hours. Years of regular sun exposure can lead to more chronic health effects such as skin cancer and cataracts in adulthood or old age. </p>
<p>Running early in the morning or late afternoon, wearing protective and cool clothing, a hat and sunglasses, and applying sunscreen to exposed skin, will offer protection. Runners should use extra protection or regularly re-apply sunscreen in marathons that span midday hours.</p>
<p>Studies in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Kimlin/publication/27468775_Evaluation_of_differences_in_ultraviolet_exposure_during_weekend_and_occupational_activities/links/00b7d53af72806c273000000.pdf">Australia</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17576384">New Zealand</a> has provided important data about the levels of sun exposure from different activities. This has been used to guide interventions for groups at risk. For example, the government has produced a vitamin D guideline for <a href="http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/consensus-statement-vitamin-d-and-sun-exposure-new-zealand">New Zealand</a>.</p>
<p>It is hoped that detailed data on different areas of activity in South Africa will lead to targeted interventions and education awareness campaigns.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/43862/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caradee Yael Wright does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Runners have a greater risk of developing skin cancer because they are more likely have sun damage on their skin as a result of chronic sun exposure.Caradee Yael Wright, Specialist Scientist (Public Health), South African Medical Research CouncilLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.