title: Pacing strategies of inexperienced children during repeated 800 m individual time-trials and simulated competition.
abstract: Prior experience of fatiguing tasks is considered essential to establishing an optimal pacing strategy. This study examined the pacing behavior of inexperienced children during self-paced, 800 m running, both individually and within a competitive environment. Thirteen children (aged 9-11 y) completed a graded-exercise test to volitional exhaustion on a treadmill (laboratory trial), followed by three self-paced, individual 800 m time-trials (Trials 1-3) and one self-paced, competitive 800 m time-trial (Trial 4) on an outdoor athletics track. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout all trials. Overall performance time improved from Trial 1-3 (250.1 ± 50.4 s & 242.4 ± 51.5 s, respectively, p < .017). The difference in overall performance time between Trials 3 and 4 (260.5 ± 54.2 s) was approaching significance (p = .06). The pacing strategy employed from the outset was consistent across all trials. These findings dispute the notion that an optimal pacing strategy is learned with exercise experience or training.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lambrick
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rowlands
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eston
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors