Abstract
PurposeThe dynamics of speed selection as a function of distance, or pacing, are used in recreational, competitive, and scientific research situations as an indirect measure of the psycho-physiological status of an individual. The purpose of this study was to determine pacing on level, uphill and downhill sections of participants in a long (>80 km) ultramarathon performed on trails in hilly terrain.MethodsFifteen ultramarathon runners competed in a 173 km event (five finished at 103 km) carrying a Global-Positioning System (GPS) device. Using the GPS data, we determined the speed, relative to average total speed, in level (LEV), uphill (UH) and downhill (DH) gradient categories as a function of total distance, as well as the correlation between overall performance and speed variability, speed loss, and total time stopped.ResultsThere were no significant differences in normality, variances or means in the relative speed in 173-km and 103-km participants. Relative speed decreased in LEV, UH and DH. The main component of speed loss occurred between 5% and 50% of the event distance in LEV, and between 5% and 95% in UH and DH. There were no significant correlations between overall performance and speed loss, the variability of speed, or total time stopped.ConclusionsPositive pacing was observed at all gradients, with the main component of speed loss occurring earlier (mixed pacing) in LEV compared to UH and DH. A speed reserve (increased speed in the last section) was observed in LEV and UH. The decrease in speed and variability of speed were more important in LEV and DH than in UH. The absence of a significant correlation between overall performance and descriptors of pacing is novel and indicates that pacing in ultramarathons in trails and hilly terrain differs to other types of running events.
Highlights
The dynamics of speed during self-paced locomotor exercise, or pacing, are used in recreational, competitive and scientific settings as an indicator of exercise intensityHow to cite this article Kerhervé et al (2016), Pacing during an ultramarathon running event in hilly terrain
Positive pacing has been observed in other forms of ultra-endurance exercise, such as a 24 h treadmill run (Gimenez et al, 2013), or during an ultra-endurance triathlon event consisting of ten consecutive Ironman distance triathlons (10 × 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, 42 km running) in 10 days (Herbst et al, 2011)
Pacing is characterised by the magnitude of speed loss and the variability of speed, which were found to be lower in faster compared to slower participants during UM running events (Lambert et al, 2004; Hoffman, 2014), in agreement with what has been observed in events up to the marathon distance (Ely et al, 2008; Haney & Mercer, 2011)
Summary
The dynamics of speed during self-paced locomotor exercise, or pacing, are used in recreational, competitive and scientific settings as an indicator of exercise intensityHow to cite this article Kerhervé et al (2016), Pacing during an ultramarathon running event in hilly terrain. Events longer than the marathon (ultramarathon, UM) are increasingly popular in recreational and competitive settings and are increasing being used in scientific research. Positive pacing (decreasing speed) and a subset of positive pacing including a final end-spurt referred to as parabolic pacing (Abbiss & Laursen, 2008), were observed in UM, such as during a short (45 km) trail UM in recreational runners (Angus & Waterhouse, 2011), a 100 km event on a level, multi-loop course in elite runners (Lambert et al, 2004), a 105 km mountain trail UM in competitive runners (Kerhervé, Millet & Solomon, 2015), and a 161 km mountain trail UM in the five fastest runners over a 28 year period (Hoffman, 2014). Pacing is characterised by the magnitude of speed loss and the variability of speed (using the coefficient of variation of speed), which were found to be lower in faster compared to slower participants during UM running events (Lambert et al, 2004; Hoffman, 2014), in agreement with what has been observed in events up to the marathon distance (Ely et al, 2008; Haney & Mercer, 2011)
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