Meeting Abstract
Distance runners with similar abilities on level terrain often differ significantly in their ability to run on inclines. This study investigates the causes of these interindividual differences in relative incline running ability. One hypothesis is that relative differences in incline running ability are primarily due to differences in uphill running kinematics. Common coaching advice for running uphill includes rapid stride turnover and high knee lift. Runners with more efficient incline running kinematics would be expected to show less of an increase in metabolic rate and heart rate when running uphill. On the other hand, anthropomorphic variables, leg muscle strength, and leg muscle power are also likely to effect on level and incline running differentially. In this study 44 subjects performed incremental treadmill runs to exhaustion at 0o and 10o inclines. The treadmill was started at 2.2ms-1 and 1.8ms-1 for the level and incline trials respectively. Speed was increased by 0.09ms-1 at the end of each minute until subjects could no longer maintain the pace. Relative incline running ability was measured as the ratio of the incline: level distance covered. Subjects’ heart rates were measured throughout the trials and their stride kinematics were tracked with a motion capture system. Subjects ran 3.8±1.6 and 1.6±1.0 km in incline and level trials respectively. Incline to level distance ratios ranged from 0.25 to 0.56. Relatively better incline runners had lower incline: level heart rate ratios. Compared to relatively poor incline runners going the same speed, they used longer strides with lower stride frequencies. Maximum stride length on inclines was significantly correlated with relative incline running ability whereas maximum stride frequency was not. This suggests that it many not be beneficial to focus primarily on rapid foot turnover when running uphill.
