Upper arm circumference is associated with race performance in ultra-endurance runners

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Physiology
• Ultra-endurance Running

Background:

• Ultra-endurance running events present unique physiological demands.
• Understanding the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and performance is crucial for athletes and coaches.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding anthropometric predictors in extreme endurance events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between various anthropometric parameters and race performance in a multistage ultra-endurance run.
• To identify specific body measurements that correlate with success in ultra-endurance athletes.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive field study was conducted during the 2006 Deutschlandlauf, a 1200 km multistage ultra-endurance race.
• Nineteen successful male Caucasian ultra-endurance runners were assessed.
• Measurements included body mass, height, limb lengths, skin-folds, limb circumferences, body mass index (BMI), percentage skeletal muscle mass (%SM), and percentage body fat (%BF).

Main Results:

• A significant association was found between upper arm circumference and total running time (p<0.05, r²=0.26).
• No significant associations were observed between running time and body height, body mass, average skin-fold thickness, or thigh and calf circumferences.
• Calculated parameters such as BMI, %BF, and %SM also showed no significant correlation with running performance.

Conclusions:

• Upper arm circumference emerged as the sole anthropometric factor significantly associated with performance in this 1200 km ultra-endurance race.
• Standard anthropometric measures like body mass, BMI, height, limb measurements, and body composition were not predictive of performance in these elite ultra-endurance runners.