Abstract

Performance in different athletic activities has continued to improve over time, with some athletes from diverse parts of the world registering new world records from time to time. With stiff competition from athletes from different parts of the world, constant upgrading of sports science based approaches to training and competition are employed to achieve more success. However, some approaches used to improve sports performance may pose ethical concerns and may challenge sports as a concept of celebrating natural human abilities. This book chapter interrogates the factors associated with efforts towards improvement of performance in endurance sports events, with a specific focus on marathon races, and the future implications for training, competition, and the nature of sports. While the interplay between nature and nurture determines the unique psychophysiological responses to training and competition, technological exploits leading to advanced sports products coupled with favourable natural and/or manipulated internal (body) and external environmental conditions will ensure continued improvement in performance. However, there is a need to censor commercial interest as well as safeguard safety and the nature of sports as a medium to celebrate natural human abilities.

Highlights

  • The Olympic motto “Citius – Altius – Fortius” which expresses the aspirations of the Olympic Movement as captured in the Olympic Charter [1], resonates perfectly with the innate human desire to do and accomplish more in life

  • Techniques or substances used for the purpose of enhancing sports performance are referred to as ergogenic aids and they act by improving energy production, energy control, or energy efficiency [4]

  • It has been noted that the magnitude of race performance improvements by athletes running using carbon fibre plate (CFP) shoes which is estimated to be approximately 4% [55] is similar to those expected from substances and methods included on the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), such as blood doping and erythropoietin use [73]

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Summary

Introduction

The Olympic motto “Citius – Altius – Fortius” which expresses the aspirations of the Olympic Movement as captured in the Olympic Charter [1], resonates perfectly with the innate human desire to do and accomplish more in life. The three Latin words mean Faster - Higher – Stronger (modified by adding ‘-Together’ in 2021) and were first expressed by Dominican priest Henri Didon during the opening ceremony of a school sports event in 1881 [2] These words were adopted by Pierre de Coubertin, who was present that day, as the Olympic motto and included in the first Olympic Charter in the 1890s. Movement in its athletic and technical sense as well as from a moral and educational perspective [2] This desire has led human beings to seek ways to work efficiently and improve their performances in the diverse aspects of life. Techniques or substances used for the purpose of enhancing sports performance are referred to as ergogenic aids and they act by improving energy production, energy control, or energy efficiency [4]. This chapter focuses more on distance running, on the marathon

Historical perspective of endurance running
Efforts towards sub-two hour marathon
Sports science and training methods
Sports science and pursuit of better sports apparel and products
Role of shoes and shoe technology in running performance
Apparel innovations and running performance
Sports drinks and nutritional supplements: manipulating the internal environment
Fluid dynamics: manipulating the external environment
Psychological aspects: power of the mind and motivation
Findings
Conclusion and recommendations
Full Text
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