Variable Pacing Is Associated with Performance during the OCC ® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc ® (2017–2021)

Pedro Corbí-Santamaría, Alba Herrero-Molleda (), Juan García-López, Daniel Boullosa and Vicente García-Tormo
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Pedro Corbí-Santamaría: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, AMRED, Human Movement and Sports Performance Analysis, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
Alba Herrero-Molleda: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, AMRED, Human Movement and Sports Performance Analysis, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
Juan García-López: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, AMRED, Human Movement and Sports Performance Analysis, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
Daniel Boullosa: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, AMRED, Human Movement and Sports Performance Analysis, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
Vicente García-Tormo: Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, AMRED, Human Movement and Sports Performance Analysis, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: The current evidence suggests that pacing may not be affected by performance level or sex in trail-running races as may occur in road running races. However, the previous studies included races of >100 km. Therefore, we aimed to verify the influence of performance level and sex on pacing in the last four (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021) editions of a shorter (56.3 km) ultra-trail running race (i.e., Orsières–Champex–Chamonix; OCC ® ) that maintained the same race profile. The mean finishing time for the 5656 participants was 10 h 20 min 33 s ± 2 h 01 min 19 s. Pacing variability (CV%) was higher in high-level participants, thus showing a greater ability to adapt their pace to the race profile than low-level runners. Males also had a higher pacing variability than females although the effect sizes were small. Based on the current findings, we may recommend for non-elite OCC ® participants to adapt their pace to the race profile with a slower pace during uphills and a faster pace during downhills. Further studies including participants’ experience are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of this suggestion in trail-running races of variable distances.

Keywords: trail running; pace variability; sex difference; endurance exercise (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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