title: Letter to the editor.
abstract: Santos-Concejero and Tucker argued in their letter to the editor that in our study the running economy in achieving superior performance was overlooked due to some methodological aspects. Having given the remarks of Santos-Concejero and Tucker appropriate consideration, in this letter to the editor, we argue that our paper does not downplay the influence of running economy on the determinants of the East African running phenomenon, but rather adds novel insights into the interaction between running economy, maximal oxygen uptake and performance.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Sport and Exercise Sciences , University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mooses
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Sport and Exercise Sciences , University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Kerli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mooses
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK.|c Department of Physiology , College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia.|d Department of Medical Physiology , School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Moi University , Eldoret , Kenya.
authors.forename: Diresibachew W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Haile
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durussel
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Sport and Exercise Sciences , University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Priit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaasik
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physiology , College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia.|d Department of Medical Physiology , School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Moi University , Eldoret , Kenya.|e School of Sport and Service Management , University of Brighton , Eastbourne , UK.
authors.forename: Yannis P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Pitsiladis
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Kenyan distance runners; anthropometric characteristic; maximal oxygen uptake; running economy; running performance