GARO DISTANČU SKRIEŠANAS EKONOMISKUMU IETEKMĒJOŠIE BIOMEHĀNISKIE RAKSTURLIELUMI

Human endurance has its limits, but in the realm of endurance sports,
numerous biomechanical variables play a pivotal role in determining an athlete's
performance. These variables can be enhanced through training and scrutinized
using scientific methods. The training process in endurance sports is closely
intertwined with the development of physiological capacities within the body. It
is not uncommon to discover athletes with similar physiological performance
characteristics; however, this does not guarantee identical outcomes in specific
movement tasks. As a result, there is a quest to explore other elements that
contribute to competition performance and their potential for improvement.
Several of these elements can be found within the biomechanical aspects of
endurance and long-distance running.
To fully utilize the physiological capabilities of one's body, they must be
effectively implemented in the specific movements of the respective sport. Each
of these movements is influenced by numerous biomechanical factors. In
endurance sports, it is crucial not to separate biomechanical factors from
physiological ones - they should be evaluated in conjunction with each other. A
beautiful run does not guarantee victory; therefore, it is essential to assess the
impact of any changes in movement technique on physiological characteristics
and overall performance. The optimization of running technique often seeks to
improve running economy.
In running and other forms of locomotion, economy can be simplified as
the ratio of the amount of metabolically consumed energy to the distance
covered. Each meter run requires a certain amount of energy. During running,
various biomechanical characteristics can be measured, which to a greater or
lesser extent, influence the economy of the corresponding movement. Some of
these characteristics have a larger impact, while others have a smaller impact on overall running economy. Sometimes this may seem counterintuitive, as certain characteristics are more easily manipulated in the training process compared to others. A specific parameter can prove to be significantly more important than initially perceived, or vice versa. Everyone can calculate the overall benefit of improving their marathon performance by 0.1% for each individual kilometer covered.
This work will not provide a recipe for running "correctly." Rather, it
aims to delve into the analysis of individual biomechanical characteristics,
which may appear simple but are considered fundamental in the context of
running economy, as well as their measurement and interpretation. This is also
because there is likely no such thing as a universally "correct" way of running.
Perhaps there are nuances that can make running more "correct" or less so for
everyone, but first, it is necessary to clarify what this term means. Simple things
often cease to be so when attempting to measure and define them using
scientific methods. Furthermore, it is important to interpret them within the
context of the individual and the group, distinguishing peculiarities from general
patterns. Some of these aspects are analyzed in this work.