Title

Pacing accuracy in collegiate and recreational runners

Authors

J. Matthew Green, University of North Alabama
Amber L. Sapp, University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
Robert C. Pritchett, Central Washington UniversityFollow
Phil A. Bishop, University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa

Document Type

Article

Department or Administrative Unit

Nutrition Exercise and Health Sciences

Publication Date

10-29-2010

Abstract

To examine runners’ ability to produce a prescribed pace, we compared prescribed versus actual 400 m splits for collegiate (COL, n = 12) and recreational runners (REC, n = 16). Participants completed a VO_2max trial and on a 400 m track, three 3,200 m time trials. During three subsequent sessions, participants completed 800 m warm-up; then, based on their fastest 3,200 m steady pace, subjects completed six laps total at three prescribed paces: (a) 2× 400 m at 7% slower than steady pace (SLO), (b) 2× 400 m at steady pace (AT) and (c) 2× 400 m at 7% faster than steady pace (FAS). Instructions were to complete the sets of two laps in prescribed times (e.g., 75 s per 400 m) (no feedback). Deviation scores (absolute value of difference: prescribed vs. actual time) (s) for each 400 m lap were compared using a 2 (group) × 3 (trial) repeated measures ANOVA. Main effects for deviations among trials SLO (7.3 ± 6.5), AT (6.6 ± 6.9) and FAS (6.2 ± 5.7) were not significantly different (p > 0.05). However, group main effect for deviation scores was significantly (p < 0.05) lower (greater accuracy) for COL (2.9 ± 3.2 s) versus REC (9.5 ± 6.6 s). Deviation scores were also significantly different (p < 0.05) for SLO (COL: 3.1 ± 2.7 s, REC: 10.4 ± 6.7 s) and AT (COL: 1.9 ± 1.9 s, REC: 10.1 ± 7.2 s), with a trend for FAS (p = 0.06) (COL: 3.8 ± 4.3 s, REC: 7.9 ± 6.1 s). Bland–Altman plots showed better agreement (prescribed vs. actual) for COL. Experience and fitness of collegiate runners resulted in improved pacing accuracy.

Comments

This article was originally published in European Journal of Applied Physiology. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.

Due to copyright restrictions, this article is not available for free download from ScholarWorks @ CWU.

Recommended Citation

Green, J. M., Sapp, A. L., Pritchett, R. C., & Bishop, P. A. (2009). Pacing accuracy in collegiate and recreational runners. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 108(3), 567–572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1257-5

Journal

European Journal of Applied Physiology

Rights

© Springer-Verlag 2009