Middle- and long-distance running

The middle- and long-distance running events comprise the 800 m, 1500 m, 3000 m steeplechase, 5000 m, 10,000 m and marathon. Although these events are described as race distances, it is useful for the physiologist to consider running duration, which will differ between athletes dependent on ability, age and sex (March et al., 2011), as highlighted in Figure 4.1.1. For both middle- and long-distance running, the aerobic system is the predominant contributor to energy turnover, with the proportion of energy from anaerobic sources decreasing as distance run increases (Spencer and Gastin, 2001). However, the absolute contribution of anaerobic energy might not differ greatly in well-trained athletes, especially over the shorter distances (Gastin, 2001).