RUNNING PERFORMANCE
Background:
I have decided to centre this mathematical investigation on running performance. Being a
keen runner myself, I’m interested in finding out how to maximise my speed whilst making
it sustainable and keeping free from injury. This is particularly important for me because I
had to stop training for 3 months last year due to a knee injury caused by running.
Upon researching into the topic, it became clear to me the active debate around which
factors are the most influential on maximising your running performance. Also, the amount
of maths involved to facilitate recommendations by sports scientists really interested me.
From this research, I found out that running performance is based on 2 main factors:
cadence and stride length. (Polar, 2016) ‘Cadence’ refers to the total number of strides
taken per minute while running. (Hobson, 2019) To run faster, you either need to take
quicker strides (higher cadence) or longer strides. (Beverley, 2020)
Introduction:
To investigate running performance, I focused on analysing the relationships between
cadence, stride length and speed.
Because recommended cadence and stride length vary depending on the distance being run
(Boldt, 2019); I chose to simulate a 5Km to gather my results. Thus, I imagined that I was
running a 5Km race, and ran at a cadence, stride length and speed that I would in this race.
Background:
I have decided to centre this mathematical investigation on running performance. Being a
keen runner myself, I’m interested in finding out how to maximise my speed whilst making
it sustainable and keeping free from injury. This is particularly important for me because I
had to stop training for 3 months last year due to a knee injury caused by running.
Upon researching into the topic, it became clear to me the active debate around which
factors are the most influential on maximising your running performance. Also, the amount
of maths involved to facilitate recommendations by sports scientists really interested me.
From this research, I found out that running performance is based on 2 main factors:
cadence and stride length. (Polar, 2016) ‘Cadence’ refers to the total number of strides
taken per minute while running. (Hobson, 2019) To run faster, you either need to take
quicker strides (higher cadence) or longer strides. (Beverley, 2020)
Introduction:
To investigate running performance, I focused on analysing the relationships between
cadence, stride length and speed.
Because recommended cadence and stride length vary depending on the distance being run
(Boldt, 2019); I chose to simulate a 5Km to gather my results. Thus, I imagined that I was
running a 5Km race, and ran at a cadence, stride length and speed that I would in this race.
