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August 28, 1972, Vol 221, No. 9 >
ARTICLE | August 28, 1972

Physiology of Marathon Running FREE

David L. Costill, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, Ind 47306 (Dr. Costill).


JAMA. 1972;221(9):1024-1029. doi:10.1001/jama.1972.03200220058013
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References

Like most endurance athletes, marathon runners are characterized by their highly developed aerobic capacities (V̇o2 max) and an ability to tolerate high rates of energy expenditure (70% to 90% V̇o2 max) without accumulating blood lactate. During marathon competition these men must alter their speed to compensate for the detrimental effects of uneven terrain, wind resistance, and thermal stress. Such factors add to the circulatory and metabolic demands of running. Heat produced in the active muscles must be transported to the body surface via the circulatory system and subsequently dissipated to the environment. Since the major responsibility of circulation is to transport nutrients and metabolic wastes, increasing the environmental heat stress will overload the circulatory system, thereby reducing performance and posing a risk to the runners' health.

REFERENCES

1 +
Dill DB:  Marathoner DeMar: Physiological studies . J Nat Cancer Inst 35:185-191, 1965;.
2 +
Costill DL, Bowers R, Kammer WF:  Skin-fold estimates of body fat among marathon runners . Med Sci Sports 2:93-95, 1970;.
3 +
Hill AV, Lupton H:  Muscular exercise, lactic acid and the supply and utilization of oxygen . Quart J Med 16:135-171, 1923;.
4 +
Costill DL, Winrow E:  Maximal oxygen intake among marathon runners . Arch Phys Med Rehab 51:317-320, 1970;.
5 +
Costill DL, Fox EL:  Energetics of marathon running . Med Sci Sports 1:81-86, 1969;.
6 +
Pugh LGC, Corbett JL, Johnson RH:  Rectal temperatures, weight losses, and sweat rates in marathon running . J Appl Physiol 23:347-352, 1967;.
7 +
Costill DL, Winrow E:  A comparison of two middle-aged ultramarathon runners . Res Quart 41:135-139, 1970;.
8 +
Costill DL, Branam G, Eddy D, et al:  Determinants of marathon running success . Int Z Angew Physiol 29:249-254, 1971;.
9 +
Costill DL:  Metabolic responses during distance running . J Appl Physiol 28:251-255, 1970;.
10 +
Costill DL, Bowers R, Branam G, et al:  Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged exercise on successive days . J Appl Physiol 31:834-838, 1971;.
11 +
Daniels J, Oldridge N:  The effects of alternate exposure to altitude and sea level on worldclass middle-distance runners . Med Sci Sports 2:107-112, 1970;.
12 +
Dill DB:  Oxygen used in horizontal and grade walking and running on the treadmill . J Appl Physiol 20:19-22, 1965;.
13 +
Kollias J, Moody DL, Buskirk ER:  Cross-country running: Treadmill simulation and suggested effectiveness of supplemental treadmill training . J Sports Med 7:148-154, 1967;.
14 +
Margaria R, Cerretelli P, Aghems P:  Energy cost of running . J Appl Physiol 18:367-370, 1963;.
15 +
Fox EL, Costill DL:  Estimated cardiorespiratory responses during marathon running . Arch Environ Health , to be published.
16 +
Hill AV:  The air resistance to a runner . Proc Roy Soc London 102:380-385, 1928;.
17 +
Pugh LGC:  Oxygen uptake in track and treadmill running with observations on the effect of air resistance. J Physiol 207:823-835, 1970;.
18 +
Gregor R: A Comparison of the Energy Expenditure During Positive and Negative Grade Running, Master's thesis, Muncie, Ind, Ball State University, 1970.
19 +
Saltin B, Stenberg J:  Circulatory responses to prolonged severe exercise . J Appl Physiol 19:833-838, 1964;.
20 +
Costill DL, Kammer WF, Fisher A:  Fluid ingestion during distance running . Arch Environ Health 21:520-525, 1970;.
21 +
Wyndham CH, Strydom NB:  The danger of an inadequate water intake during marathon running . S Afr Med J 43:893-896, 1969;.
22 +
Saltin B:  Aerobic work capacity and circulation at exercise in man: With special reference to the effect of prolonged exercise and/or heat exposure . Acta Physiol Scand 62( (suppl 230) ):1-52, 1964;.
23 +
Kozlowski S, Saltin B:  Effect of sweat loss on body fluids . J Appl Physiol 19:1119-1124, 1964;.
24 +
Christensen EH, Hansen O:  Arbeitsfähegkeit und Ehrnährung . Skand Arch Physiol 81:160-163, 1939;.
25 +
Rodahl K, Miller HI, Issekutz B, Jr:  Plasma free fatty acids in exercise . J Appl Physiol 19:489-495, 1964;.

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1 +
Dill DB:  Marathoner DeMar: Physiological studies . J Nat Cancer Inst 35:185-191, 1965;.
2 +
Costill DL, Bowers R, Kammer WF:  Skin-fold estimates of body fat among marathon runners . Med Sci Sports 2:93-95, 1970;.
3 +
Hill AV, Lupton H:  Muscular exercise, lactic acid and the supply and utilization of oxygen . Quart J Med 16:135-171, 1923;.
4 +
Costill DL, Winrow E:  Maximal oxygen intake among marathon runners . Arch Phys Med Rehab 51:317-320, 1970;.
5 +
Costill DL, Fox EL:  Energetics of marathon running . Med Sci Sports 1:81-86, 1969;.
6 +
Pugh LGC, Corbett JL, Johnson RH:  Rectal temperatures, weight losses, and sweat rates in marathon running . J Appl Physiol 23:347-352, 1967;.
7 +
Costill DL, Winrow E:  A comparison of two middle-aged ultramarathon runners . Res Quart 41:135-139, 1970;.
8 +
Costill DL, Branam G, Eddy D, et al:  Determinants of marathon running success . Int Z Angew Physiol 29:249-254, 1971;.
9 +
Costill DL:  Metabolic responses during distance running . J Appl Physiol 28:251-255, 1970;.
10 +
Costill DL, Bowers R, Branam G, et al:  Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged exercise on successive days . J Appl Physiol 31:834-838, 1971;.
11 +
Daniels J, Oldridge N:  The effects of alternate exposure to altitude and sea level on worldclass middle-distance runners . Med Sci Sports 2:107-112, 1970;.
12 +
Dill DB:  Oxygen used in horizontal and grade walking and running on the treadmill . J Appl Physiol 20:19-22, 1965;.
13 +
Kollias J, Moody DL, Buskirk ER:  Cross-country running: Treadmill simulation and suggested effectiveness of supplemental treadmill training . J Sports Med 7:148-154, 1967;.
14 +
Margaria R, Cerretelli P, Aghems P:  Energy cost of running . J Appl Physiol 18:367-370, 1963;.
15 +
Fox EL, Costill DL:  Estimated cardiorespiratory responses during marathon running . Arch Environ Health , to be published.
16 +
Hill AV:  The air resistance to a runner . Proc Roy Soc London 102:380-385, 1928;.
17 +
Pugh LGC:  Oxygen uptake in track and treadmill running with observations on the effect of air resistance. J Physiol 207:823-835, 1970;.
18 +
Gregor R: A Comparison of the Energy Expenditure During Positive and Negative Grade Running, Master's thesis, Muncie, Ind, Ball State University, 1970.
19 +
Saltin B, Stenberg J:  Circulatory responses to prolonged severe exercise . J Appl Physiol 19:833-838, 1964;.
20 +
Costill DL, Kammer WF, Fisher A:  Fluid ingestion during distance running . Arch Environ Health 21:520-525, 1970;.
21 +
Wyndham CH, Strydom NB:  The danger of an inadequate water intake during marathon running . S Afr Med J 43:893-896, 1969;.
22 +
Saltin B:  Aerobic work capacity and circulation at exercise in man: With special reference to the effect of prolonged exercise and/or heat exposure . Acta Physiol Scand 62( (suppl 230) ):1-52, 1964;.
23 +
Kozlowski S, Saltin B:  Effect of sweat loss on body fluids . J Appl Physiol 19:1119-1124, 1964;.
24 +
Christensen EH, Hansen O:  Arbeitsfähegkeit und Ehrnährung . Skand Arch Physiol 81:160-163, 1939;.
25 +
Rodahl K, Miller HI, Issekutz B, Jr:  Plasma free fatty acids in exercise . J Appl Physiol 19:489-495, 1964;.

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