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- Title
The metabolic costs of walking and running up a 30-degree incline: implications for vertical kilometer foot races.
- Authors
Ortiz, Amanda; Giovanelli, Nicola; Kram, Rodger; Ortiz, Amanda Louise Ryan
- Abstract
<bold>Purpose: </bold>Vertical kilometer (VK) races, in which runners gain 1000 m of elevation in <5000 m of distance, are becoming popular. However, few studies on steep uphill running (>25°) exist. Previously, we determined that ~30° is the optimal angle for uphill running, costing the least amount of metabolic energy for a specific vertical velocity. To inform the training and strategy of VK racers, we quantified the metabolic cost of walking and running at various velocities up a 30° incline.<bold>Methods: </bold>At 30°, 11 experienced runners (7 M, 4 F, 30.8 ± 7.9 years, 1.71 ± 0.08 m, 66.7 ± 9.4 kg) walked and ran for 5-min trials with 5-min rest between. Starting at 0.3 ms-1, we increased treadmill velocity by 0.1 ms-1 for each trial until subjects could not maintain the set velocity. We measured oxygen uptake (ml O2 kg-1 min-1) and metabolic power (W kg-1 = metabolic energy per unit time per unit body mass) and calculated metabolic costs of walking (C w) and running (C r) per unit distance (J kg-1 m-1).<bold>Results: </bold>Oxygen uptake and metabolic power increased linearly with velocity. Between 0.3 and 0.7 ms-1, C w < C r. At 0.8 ms-1 there was no difference and extrapolation suggests that at faster velocities, running likely costs less than walking.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>On a 30° incline, metabolic power increases linearly with velocity. At speeds slower than 0.7 ms-1, walking requires less metabolic power than running (W kg-1) suggesting most VK racers should walk rather than run.
- Subjects
ENERGY metabolism regulation; WALKING; RUNNING; ATHLETIC ability testing; VERTICAL motion; VELOCITY measurements
- Publication
European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2017, Vol 117, Issue 9, p1869
- ISSN
1439-6319
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s00421-017-3677-y