Interactions between training load, submaximal heart rate, and performance in endurance runners
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: The popularity of endurance running events has rapidly increased in recent years with more recreational runners entering the field. How recreational runners train is not well known. Understanding this and the relationship between training and performance in this group of runners is important for prescribing appropriate training to maximise performance and decrease the risk of injury. This forms the underlying theme throughout this thesis. Aim: The broad aims of this thesis were to better understand the ad libitum training habits of well-trained competitive recreational runners and to determine the relationships between performance, training load, and submaximal heart rate (HR) in this cohort. Methods: Five inter-related studies were performed to: 1) determine relationships between 56-km race performance and pacing (n = 7,327) in competitive recreational runners; 2) determine relationships between 56-km race performance, pacing, and training load in competitive recreational runners (n = 69); 3) determine the accuracy of GPS sport watches in measuring distance (n = 255); 4) develop a feasible and reliable submaximal running test, and 5) determine relationships between performance on a submaximal running test, training load, and submaximal HR in well-trained competitive recreational runners (n = 29). Main findings: A group of well-trained competitive recreational runners performed 44 ± 22 km/week (median ± IQR) in a six-month time frame while training ad libitum. This group had a wide range of inter-individual differences in training load performed even when considering participants who had the same relative marathon performance. The same group of well-trained competitive recreational runners maintained most of their training over a sixmonth period in a range of 0.81 – 1.14 for the acute: chronic workload ratio (ACWR). When the ACWR values reached > 1.50, it was mainly due to participation in endurance running races (> 21-km). When looking at relative weekl…
abstract: Background: The popularity of endurance running events has rapidly increased in recent years with more recreational runners entering the field. How recreational runners train is not well known. Understanding this and the relationship between training and performance in this group of runners is important for prescribing appropriate training to maximise performance and decrease the risk of injury. This forms the underlying theme throughout this thesis. Aim: The broad aims of this thesis were to better understand the ad libitum training habits of well-trained competitive recreational runners and to determine the relationships between performance, training load, and submaximal heart rate (HR) in this cohort. Methods: Five inter-related studies were performed to: 1) determine relationships between 56-km race performance and pacing (n = 7,327) in competitive recreational runners; 2) determine relationships between 56-km race performance, pacing, and training load in competitive recreational runners (n = 69); 3) determine the accuracy of GPS sport watches in measuring distance (n = 255); 4) develop a feasible and reliable submaximal running test, and 5) determine relationships between performance on a submaximal running test, training load, and submaximal HR in well-trained competitive recreational runners (n = 29). Main findings: A group of well-trained competitive recreational runners performed 44 ± 22 km/week (median ± IQR) in a six-month time frame while training ad libitum. This group had a wide range of inter-individual differences in training load performed even when considering participants who had the same relative marathon performance. The same group of well-trained competitive recreational runners maintained most of their training over a sixmonth period in a range of 0.81 – 1.14 for the acute: chronic workload ratio (ACWR). When the ACWR values reached > 1.50, it was mainly due to participation in endurance running races (> 21-km). When looking at relative weekl…
author: Johansson, Rebecca Elin
keywords: Exercise Scence
date published: 2019
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:22:42Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Human Biology

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31767