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Boston 2018 was one for the archives. A brutally cold, wet and windy day made for incredible, unpredictable elite races, and a whole lot of DNFs! There's a theory that women did better in this regard than men, and this post explores cold physiology, and what factors MIGHT explain why women MIGHT be able to handle the extreme cold better than men
A dramatic video of a Kenyan marathon runner staggering to the finish line sparked criticism and debate. I discuss the physiology & medical dilemma of dealing with such situations
Heat-induced collapses, retirements and capitulations finally forced Australian Open organizers to suspend play on Day 4 due to extreme heat. Amidst allegations of inhumane conditions, here are thoughts on the physiology of the heat, and why perceptions of comfort may hold the compromise solution
When is exercise dangerous? How misleading advice is often worse than no advice at all
Wesley Korir and Sharon Cherop have won the 2012 Boston Marathon for Kenya. Surprise names, perhaps (particularly Korir), but you might, at first glance, call it “just another Kenyan victory”. It was anything but. Today was a reminder of the difficulty of the marathon, because Mother Nature, so kind to Boston one year ago, decided […]
Just one day to go now before 10-10-10, as we continue our build up to Sunday. Earlier this week we in the marathon world, two of which occurred here in Chicago. Today we are going to take a look back to the 2007 race, when unseasonably warm and humid conditions wreaked havoc on the race and […]
First, if you did not catch the NY Velocity interview with Ross, be sure to—Andy Shen and co do a great job over there and produce some excellent interviews. Their site is a must read for any serious or enthusiastic cyclist, whether or not they reside in NYC. Back in June I was very fortunate to present two […]
The interesting stories are coming thick and fast just lately. Too fast to post on, which is why we didn’t cover the story of Chris Solinsky, who, last weekend, because the first American runner below the 27-minute barrier over 10,000m. In a race that was set up as an attempt on the record by Galen […]
I realised the other day that in the two and a half years that The Science of Sport has been running, very few of you have ever heard directly from us. Sure, there are posts and opinions and replies to comments, but unless you’re in Chicago or Cape Town (or you’ve seen the odd TV appearance), […]