Relationship of somatotype and physical characteristics to distance running performance in middle age runners.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the variance explained by somatotype, selected anthropometric variables, and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) on 10 km run time.


METHODS
Subjects were 19 female and 34 male moderately trained distance runners who competed in a local 10 km road race. Mean ages were 39.7 +/- 9.2 for females and 42.7 +/- 10.3 yr for males.


RESULTS
Endomorphy explained 41.0% (R = 0.64, SEE = 6.5 min) of the variance in females' 10 km time, whereas body mass index explained 28.0% (R = 0.53, SEE = 7.8 min) with mesomorphy adding 10.4% (R = 0.62, SEE = 7.3 min) more explained variance in males' running times. With data combined for men and women, endomorphy explained 22.1% (R = 0.47, SEE = 7.9 min) of the variance.


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that somatotype and body mass index explain a moderate portion of the variance in 10 km run performance in runners heterogeneous in ability. Muscle and muscle plus bone cross-sectional area of related running muscles does not contribute to the explained variance in men. Research seeking to explain sources of variation in running performance should consider including somatotype as an independent variable.
Berg
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K
School of HPER, University of Nebraska at Omaha 68182-0216, USA.
Latin
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Coffey
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013008:Somatotypes / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors