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Does Muscle Mass Affect Running Times in Male Long-distance Master Runners?

Author(s):
Beat KnechtleBeat KnechtleBeat Knechtle ORCID2,*, Christoph Alexander RstChristoph Alexander Rst1, Patrizia KnechtlePatrizia Knechtle2, Thomas RosemannThomas Rosemann1
2Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
1Institute of General Practice and for Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland


Asian Journal of Sports Medicine:Vol. 3, issue 4; 247-256
Published online:Nov 30, 2012
Article type:Research Article
Received:Mar 12, 2012
Accepted:Jul 18, 2012
How to Cite:Beat KnechtleChristoph Alexander RstPatrizia KnechtleThomas RosemannDoes Muscle Mass Affect Running Times in Male Long-distance Master Runners?.Asian J Sports Med.3(4):34547.https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.34547.

Abstract

Purpose:

The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between skeletal muscle mass, body fat and training characteristics with running times in master athletes (age > 35 years) in half-marathon, marathon and ultra-marathon.

Methods:

We compared skeletal muscle mass, body fat and training characteristics in master half-marathoners (n=103), master marathoners (n=91) and master ultra-marathoners (n=155) and investigated associations between body composition and training characteristics with race times using bi- and multi-variate analyses.

Results:

After multi-variate analysis, body fat was related to half-marathon (?=0.9, P=0.0003), marathon (?=2.2, P<0.0001), and ultra-marathon (?=10.5, P<0.0001) race times. In master half-marathoners (?=-4.3, P<0.0001) and master marathoners (?=-11.9, P<0.0001), speed during training was related to race times. In master ultra-marathoners, however, weekly running kilometers (?=-1.6, P<0.0001) were related to running times.

Conclusions:

To summarize, body fat and training characteristics, not skeletal muscle mass, were associated with running times in master half-marathoners, master marathoners, and master ultra-marathoners. Master half-marathoners and master marathoners rather rely on a high running speed during training whereas master ultra-marathoners rely on a high running volume during training. The common opinion that skeletal muscle mass affects running performance in master runners needs to be questioned.

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