1. RUNNING ECONOMY
THE FORGOTTENFACTORIN ELITEPERFORMANCE
Carl Foster and Alejandro Lucia

2. Outline
• Background Information
• Previous Research
• Author’s Aims
• The Basic Ingredients
• Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
• Methods
• Limitations of the Study
• Take Home Messages
• Applications
• References

3. Terminology
• VO2MAX: The maximum amount
of oxygen used per minute
during prolonged high intensity
exercise
• Efficient: achieving maximum
productivity with minimum
wasted effort or expense
• Economical: Synonym for
efficient
• Steady State: A state obtained in
moderate muscular exercise
when the removal of lactic acid
by oxidation keeps pace with its
production.

4. Background
• Running performance depends on a complex interplay of
factors
• 1. A high cardiac output and a high rate of oxygen delivery to
working muscles
• 2.The ability to sustain a high percentage of VO2MAX for long
periods of time
• 3. The ability to move efficiently
• VO2MAX and fractional utilization of VO2MAX are widely
studied determinants of running performance
• Unless VO2MAX is >70 mL/min/kg it is almost impossible to
achieve world class running performances

5. Background
• Established World Class Runners
• Expected average of 75-80 mL/min/kg
• Percentage VO2MAX that can be sustained for slightly >2 hours is
approximately 80-90% for the ≈ 28 minutes (Marathon) and 90-95%
(10 km)

6. Primary Questions
• 1. What is the range in
running economy across
the range of serious
runners?
• 2. Are the differences in
running economy based
on anatomical differences?
• 3. Can running economy
be improved?

7. Differences in Running Economy
• Measured by running at progressively
increasing stages of 4-10 min
duration.
• Running intensity is kept below the
ventilatory threshold.
• Reference treadmill runs in the lab
were done either on a flat treadmill, or
a treadmill with a 1% gradient
• In an ideal world, such runs would be
performed outdoors to fully account
for wind resistance, the characteristics
of the running surface & the minor
undulations present on even level
outdoor terrain.

8. Expression of Running Economy
Can be made in several ways:
• To interpolate (or extrapolate)
the VO2 to a common running
velocity (commonly 268 m.min-1
or 4.47 m.s-1)
• Differences in VO2MAX can be
accentuated if the aerobic
requirement of running is
expressed as VO2/kg-0.75
• An alternative method of
expressing running economy is
in terms of the VO2 required to
run 1km.

9. Expression of Running Economy

10. Anatomical Basis of Differences in
Running Economy
• Distance runners are generally small
people
• African runners who dominate distance
running are often even smaller by such
standards
• Observed to have very thin lower legs,
which is a possible contributor to their
excellent running economy
• Suggested that running economy is
related to body dimensions generally
and is not a uniquely ‘African’ element
• Extraordinary running economy may be
a characteristic of small people generally
and specifically small people with thin
lower legs

11. Can Running Economy be Improved?
• Very few studies of strategies
that might improve running
economy have been done
• Interventions involving strength
and/or plyometric training,
altitude exposure and training in
the heat have been reviewed
with regards to improve running
economy
• Altitude exposure has shown
mixed results. Suggested simple
exposure will improve running
economy.

12. Can Running Economy be Improved?
• Reported by Billat et al that
running economy improved
secondary to adding relatively
HI training in addition to
baseline running
• However, further studies have
shown that running economy
improved subsequent to the
addition of HI interval training to
baseline mileage

13. Final Stretch
• Running economy is clearly
important to running performance
• Considerable range of running
economy, even amongst well
trained runners
• Tendency for East African Runners
to be more economical
• Evidence suggests that running
economy improves with the addition
of HI interval training to baseline
mileage
• Suggested that future improvement
in running performance will depend
on improved economy

14. References
• 1. Joyner MJ. Modeling optimal marathon
perfonnance on the basis of physiological factors. J
Appl Physiol 1991; 71: 683-7
• 2. Pollock ML. Submaximal and maximal working
capacity of elite distance runners: cardiorespiratory
aspects. Ann N Y AcadSci 1976; 301: 310-22
• 3. Costill DL, Thomason H, Roberts E. Fractional
utilization of the aerobic capacity during distance
running. Med Sci Sports
• 1973; 5: 248-52
4. Conley DL, Krahenbuhl GS, Burkett LN. Training
for aerobic
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1981; 9: 107-15
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Physiological charac- teristics of the best Eritrean
runners: exceptional running econ- omy. Appl
Physiol Nutr Metab 2006; 31: 530-40
• 6. Saunders PU, Pyne DB, Telford RD, et al. Factors
affecting running economy in trained distance
runners. Sports Med 2004; 34: 465-85
• 7. Saltin B, Larsen H, Terrados N, et al. Aerobic
exercise capacity at sea level and at altitude in
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to Scandinavian runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports
1995; 5: 209-21
• 8. Lucia A, Hoyos J, Perez M, et al. Inverse
relationship between V02max and
economy/efficiency in world-class cyclists. Med Sci
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• 9. Royer TD, Martin PE. Manipulations of leg mass
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• 10. Billat VL, Flechet B, Petit B, et al. Interval
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