Not only was Marcel Kittel notorious for having the best hair in the peloton during his pro-cycling career, but he was also a formidable sprinter with an impressive 19 grand tour stage wins to his name. After ending his debut season with 17 race wins, his sprinting success continued to flourish throughout his career allContinue reading “The Art of Sprinting: How a World-Class Sprinter Conquered the Tour de France”
Author Archives: Annabel Critchlow
Sex Differences in Athletes’ Sleep: Does the Menstrual Cycle Play a Role?
Sleep is arguably one of the most important tools for recovery amongst the athlete population due to its ability to influence a wide range of physiological functions.1 Despite this, sleep is evidently not prioritised, as reports show that athletes have a poorer quality of sleep compared to the general population, and often do not reachContinue reading “Sex Differences in Athletes’ Sleep: Does the Menstrual Cycle Play a Role?”
Breaking 2: The Physiological Requirements
On the 12th October 2019, Eluid Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours. The Ineos 1:59 challenge saw a monumental effort to break this barrier by creating the best possible conditions for the attempt. The elements that contributed to this pioneering performance can be dividedContinue reading “Breaking 2: The Physiological Requirements”
Microgravity & The Astronaut Athlete
Since the beginning of space exploration, astronauts have embarked on extraordinary journeys to the most unique environments ever experienced by mankind. Despite the challenges of radiation exposure, confinement and social isolation to name a few, one aspect of spaceflight remains the most demanding: microgravity. Here on Earth the human body has adapted to an environmentContinue reading “Microgravity & The Astronaut Athlete”
What Does It Take To Run An Ultra-Marathon?
Over the last few decades there has been a huge surge in the popularity of ultra-running, with the number of participants increasing exponentially since the 1970’s.1 An ultra-marathon can be defined as a running event that is longer than 42.195km.2 Common race distances include 50km, 100km, 50 miles or 100 miles, however they can alsoContinue reading “What Does It Take To Run An Ultra-Marathon?”
Does Menstrual Cycle Phase Affect Exercise Performance?
Tokyo 2021 is thought to be the most gender-balanced Olympic Games in history, with 49% of athletes being female. Comparing this to 1984, when just 23% of athletes were female, it is obvious to see that female participation in sport has never been better. 1 Despite this, due to a combination of conflicting evidence andContinue reading “Does Menstrual Cycle Phase Affect Exercise Performance?”
Carbohydrate Supplementation During Endurance Exercise
It is widely accepted that the use of carbohydrate (CHO) supplements during prolonged endurance exercise is a highly beneficial method of maximising performance. Carbohydrates in the form of glucose and glycogen are the main substrates that fuel our skeletal muscles while partaking in exercise, so it is vital that stores don’t run dry. If thisContinue reading “Carbohydrate Supplementation During Endurance Exercise”
Exercise at Altitude: Acclimatisation and Altitude Training
It is a well-accepted idea amongst elite athletes and coaches that spending time at altitude can elicit beneficial training adaptions that enhance endurance performance. However, as soon as I started my research for this article, it became clear that the scientific justification of altitude training is more limited than one would assume. This article isContinue reading “Exercise at Altitude: Acclimatisation and Altitude Training”
Exercise at Altitude: How Does Your Body Respond?
Welcome to the first article of an exciting two-part series exploring how human physiology is altered while at altitude, and how altitude training can be utilised to improve aerobic performance. This article will explain at how the body responds when exercising at altitude and what consequences it could have on performance. What is the challengeContinue reading “Exercise at Altitude: How Does Your Body Respond?”
Carbohydrate mouth rinsing – can you benefit from your carbohydrate drink if you don’t actually swallow it?
What is carbohydrate mouth rinsing? It has been long understood that carbohydrate supplementation during endurance exercise is very useful in maximizing performance, particularly in events lasting over 90 minutes. Most carbohydrate supplements are used in the form of energy drinks, bars or chews. They optimise aerobic capacity by replenishing muscle glycogen stores, allowing glycolysis toContinue reading “Carbohydrate mouth rinsing – can you benefit from your carbohydrate drink if you don’t actually swallow it?”
THE PACE 