The importance of aerobic capacity and nutrition in recreational master mountain runners' performance and race-induced changes in body composition and biochemical blood indices. Issue 5 (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Methenitis, Spyridon; Cherouveim, Evgenia D.; Kroupis, Christos; Tsantes, Argyrios; Ketselidi, Kleopatra; Vlachopoulou, Elpiniki; Stavroulakis, George; Mavrogenis, Andreas; Tsolakis, Charilaos; Koulouvaris, Panagiotis
• Is Part Of: International journal of sports science & coaching. Volume 17:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 1167
• Page End: 1177
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Energy expenditure -- inflammation -- muscle damage -- oxygen uptake; Coaching (Athletics) -- Periodicals; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Coaching (Athletics); Sports sciences; Periodicals; 796.077
• DOI: 10.1177/17479541211056398
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-9541

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the importance of aerobic capacity and nutrition on 28-km mountain running performance and race-induced changes in body composition and biochemical blood indices, in recreational master athletes of different performance levels. Twenty male master runners (age: 44.6 ± 7.7 years) were divided into two groups, slower and faster runners, according to their race performance. Maximum oxygen uptake( V ˙ O 2 max ), velocity atV ˙ O 2 max ( v V ˙ O 2 max ), oxygen consumption( V ˙ O 2 Thr ), and velocity( v V ˙ O 2 Thr ) during the second ventilatory threshold were evaluated. Nutrition was assessed for one week before and during the race. Body composition was evaluated, and blood samples were collected before and 3 h after the race. Slower runners exhibited a greater reduction in lean body mass and greater changes in all muscle damage/inflammation/metabolism blood indices than the faster runners ( η 2 = 0.201–0.927; p < 0.05). When all the participants were assessed as one group ( n = 20), significant correlations were found between (v V ˙ O 2 max, vVO2Thr, race time, energy intake, expenditure, carbohydrate, protein intakes, and post-race changes in body composition and blood markers ( r : −0.825–0.824; p < 0.05). The strongest determinants were (v V ˙ O 2 max and vVO2Thr, while energy intake, expenditure, carbohydrate, and protein intakes seemed to be the weakest determinants of race performance and race-induced changes in body composition and blood indices. The results suggest that race-induced changes in body composition and blood indices are determined mainly by master runners' race performance and endurance capacity and to a lesser extent by nutrition. However, it seems that carbohydrate and protein intakes have equal importance.