Comment on: "How Biomechanical Improvements in Running Economy Could Break the 2-Hour Marathon Barrier"

Tactical behavior of high-level male marathon runners

This study analyzes the strategy used by the best male runners who participated in one of the major city marathons (Frankfurt Marathon, 2008-2018), the all-time performances <2:04:00, the male world records achieved during the 21st century and the Nike Breaking2 Project and INEOS 1:59 Challenge (total = 235 races). The races of the best runners in the Frankfurt Marathon (top 10) were analyzed (n = 110 runners, range: 2:03:42-2:14:05 hours); the runners were divided into two groups according to the tactical used. The pace of Group A (stable pace) remained steady throughout the race, while in Group B (decrease in running speed toward the end of the race) a moderate, but significant drop in speed was detected (P ≤ .001), starting from halfway through the race and getting sharper from the 30th kilometer (30-35 km = 1.6%, P ≤ .001 - 35-40 km = 4.3%, P ≤ .001 - 40-42.195 km: 3.9%, P ≤ .001, total = ≈10%). In the races in which the world record is achieved, the running speed tends to be steady and relatively conservative during the first stretch of the race, increasing smoothly in the second half and achieving a significant increase in the last 2195 m of the race (P = .016, ES = 1.14). Among all the possible strategies, running at a steady pace throughout the race seems the most effective option, especially when priority is given to time rather than position (ie, world records and best all-time races).

A Pragmatic Approach to Resolving Technological Unfairness: the Case of Nike's Vaporfly and Alphafly Running Footwear

BACKGROUND

Technology is often introduced into sport to facilitate it or to improve human performance within it. On occasion, some forms of novel technology require regulation or prevention entirely to ensure that a sport remains fair and accessible. Recently, the Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly shoes have received some concerns over their appropriateness for use in competitive distance running.

METHODS

This paper evaluates the use of these shoes against an existing framework for sports technology discourse and adopts a pragmatic approach to attempt to resolve them.

RESULTS

It is proposed that the three concerns regarding cost, access and coercion cannot be ruled out but likely remain short-term issues. As a result, it is proposed that these running shoes are acceptable forms of technology but that ongoing vigilance will be required as such technologies develop further in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

The Nike Vaporfly/Alphafly shoes do push the perceived acceptability of running shoes to the limits of the current sports regulations. However, the alleged gains have not manifested themselves to a level that could be considered excessive when reviewing historical performances or when evaluated against a set of well-cited criteria. The sport will need to adopt a stance of ongoing vigilance as such technologies continue to develop or be optimised in the future.