Christof Schwiening (physiologist) and Kevin O'Holleran (physicist) take a rational scientific approach to marathon running in this 2-part talk. Neither is a sports scientist; Christof is a cellular neurophysiologist and Kevin is an physicist, but both are competitive runners obsessively concerned with optimizing performance. Some of the ideas presented will challenge current common coaching dogma.
Lecture 1 - Better Training
originally recorded at the Cambridge Science Festival, 12 March 2016
Running your best marathon involves starting at the appropriate pace and then following a plan. We will consider how that pace and plan can be calculated using a range of techniques. Some of the techniques currently used fail for certain runners in a predictable fashion, we will show how corrections can be made. We will also discuss the in-race 'mistakes' that are commonly made as well as the worthwhile optimizations. Why waste the fitness you have spent months gaining?