GO THE DISTANCE
How many times have you heard someone claim they have the ‘wrong build’ for long-distance running? It’s a commonly held belief, so is there any truth that some of us just aren’t built for distance, or can we all condition our bodies to cope with the demands of running further?
While it’s true that elite runners tend to have a lean body shape, it doesn’t mean a person with a different build can’t complete long distances. You can have a broader build, but still be fit and strong. “Elite runners are all going to have a very similar body shape,” says running coach George Anderson (runningbygeorge.com). “There’s not too many big people or too many muscular people and you could say that the ectomorph body shape is the perfect physique for running; that very thin, wiry build. But I’m talking about bone structure and body shape rather than anything to do with body fat. You can be an ectomorph and still carry a great deal of body fat or you can be an endomorph, which means to be more rounded, and be very lean.”
If you’re carrying less excess body fat, your body may stand more chance of coping with distances. “Our bodies need energy to move any mass from one place to another, and the heavier that mass is, the more energy is needed,” says Professor John Brewer, sports scientist and Head of School of Sport, Health & Applied Science at St Mary’s University (stmarys.ac.uk). “Losing body fat means more oxygen can go to your muscles, and [running] places less stress on the legs. It’s a relatively simple way of making you a better runner.”
It also reduces forces through as, when we run, around three times our body weight is absorbed through the knees.
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