Email this article 
No association of skin-fold thicknesses and training with race performance in male ultra-endurance runners in a 24-hour run
Abstract
In male high-level long-distance runners over 10,000 m, a positive association between both the front thigh and medial calf skin-fold thickness and running performance has been demonstrated. It is assumed that the thickness of skin-folds of the lower limb is related to training in highly trained runners. We investigated in 22 male ultra-endurance runners in a 24-hour run the relationship between skin-fold thicknesses and race performance. The 22 runners achieved a total of 154 (47) km during the 24 hours, varying from 73.079 km to 231.956 km. No association for both the skin-fold thicknesses and the training variables with race performance could be demonstrated. Furthermore, skin-fold thicknesses showed no relationship with both volume and intensity during training. We must assume that in ultra-endurance runners in a 24-hour run, other variables such as motivation and nutrition must be associated with race outcome.
Keywords
References
Arrese, A.L., Ostariz, E.S. Skinfold thicknesses associated with distance running performance in highly trained runners. Journal of Sports Science. 2006; 24:69-76. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410500127751
Bale, P., Bradbury, D., Colley, E. Anthropometric and training variables related to 10km running performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 1986; 20:170-173. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.20.4.170
Ball, S.D., Altena, T.S., Swan, P.D. Comparison of anthropometry to DXA: a new prediction equation for men. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004; 58:1525-1531. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602003
Becque, M.D., Katch, V.L., Moffatt, R.J. Time course of skin-plus-fat compression in males and females. Human Biology. 1986; 58, 33-42.
Conley, D., Krahenbuhl, G. Running economy and distance running performance of highly trained athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 1980; 12:357-360. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-198025000-00010
Hagan, R.D., Smith, M.G., Gettman, L.R. Marathon performance in relation to maximal aerobic power and training indices. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 1981; 13:185-189. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-198103000-00007
Hetland, M.L., Haarbo, J., Christiansen, C. Regional body composition determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Relation to training, sex hormones, and serum lipids in male long-distance runners. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. 1998; 8:102-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1998.tb00176.x
Legaz, A., Gonzalez, J.J., Serrano, E. Differences in skinfold thicknesses and fat distribution among top-class runners. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 2005; 45:512-517.
Legaz, A., Eston, R. Changes in performance, skinfold thicknesses, and fat patterning after three years of intense athletic conditioning in high level runners. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2005; 39:851-856. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2005.018960
Leedy, H.E., Ismail, A.H., Kessler, W.V., Christian, J.E. Relationships between physical performance items and body composition. Research Quarterly. 1965; 36:158-163.
Mattila, V.M., Tallroth, K., Marttinen, M., Pihlajamäki, H. Body composition by DEXA and its association with physical fitness in 140 conscripts. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007; 39:2242-2247. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e318155a813
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4100/jhse.2011.61.11
Copyright (c) 2011 Journal of Human Sport and Exercise
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
