Higher, stronger, farther

CENTRAL RESEARCH

A phrase known to many is the Olympic motto and represents the effort of the human being to be or achieve a better mark, without external comparisons and without more competition than oneself. It was never sought from the amateur origin of this type of sport anything beyond going higher, stronger, or further as a form of self-improvement. But throughout the development of the sport, the Olympic spirit was diluted in competition between peers and between countries.

It is also true that in sport, as in almost all human activity, technological and scientific development (in its area of competence) generates an advantage, sporting in this case, which is not less when the athletic difference in the disciplines is increasingly small. While there are many examples in this regard, I would like to share the story of one that I like punctually: the marathon and how it was scientifically worked to break the 2-hour barrier.

Today it is accepted to refer to it as the marathon or the marathon; the official distance is currently 42,195 meters, established since the London Olympics of 1908. Urban legend has it that the distance was adjusted so that the runners when leaving could be seen from the balcony of Windsor Palace, however, it was believed that such a distance was never going to be covered below 2 hours. Something that was impossible until it was simply done.

To do so requires not only an exceptional athlete and probably the best marathoner in history (Eliud Kipchoge), but also a set of unique scientific and technological advances, this being the point on which I want to concentrate on this note.

The first point I would like to comment on is the combination between the tread and the shoe. We all know that a part of the force of the stride is lost in response to the blow on the ground where we run, and finding a balance between rebounding, stability, and propulsion is key to being able to maintain proper momentum; Let all that energy be used to move the body forward and not be lost. The biomechanics of the tread, the choice of the center of gravity on the fly (that is, the position of the body during the race), and the stability of the footwear are the three factors that together define how to manufacture a propeller where kinetic energy is not lost. In short, the sneaker.

This custom shoe with a specific and bespoke insole height for Eliud Kipchoge’s test is called Nike Air Zoom Alphafly and is estimated to have given him a total improvement of 30-40 seconds. It is not approved by the Olympic Committee, since it has 3 layers of rigid carbon fiber overlapped (up to two are accepted) in a thick foam and with a height of 4 cm (up to 3 are allowed.)

The second technological advance that I want to share briefly is the fight against wind and air friction. We have known for many years that the wings of airplanes and racing cars are evaluated in wind tunnels. This is what was studied to determine the formation of the athlete’s escorts during the test (the famous hares). All long-distance races employ a group of runners who launch themselves along with the competitors and help them maintain a specific pace for two-thirds of the race. This helps runners not lose energy to maintain a specific pace and concentrate until the end of the race. But they also function as a wind barrier and generate a specific inertia that “pushes” runners forward.

The configuration, rotation, and replacement of the hares were tested in wind tunnels and on animations by artificial intelligence showing a potential improvement of another few seconds. In total 41 different hares were used, but always 7 in a specific formation.

The third and last example that I want to share as a technological advance among others that were given to break the barrier of 2 hours (in addition to the specific circuit, the evaluation of the time and place by its weather conditions) is nutritional support. All of us who ever ran the 42 kilometers know the energy wear and tear that the test demands. Although it cannot be generalized, we can say that on average approximately 3500 calories are consumed by a man of about 80 kg who runs for about 4 hours.

The reserves of freely available sugars do not cover this demand and supplementation is required during competition. Not only do you run drinking water, and in this case, if you look closely, you can see that Kipchoge drinks a specific volume of liquid every so often time-distance. This nutrient and electrolyte solution was evaluated during workouts using a subcutaneous arm device that measures biomarkers such as glucose or lactic acid (he currently regularly uses an Abbott’s Libre Sense device). During the race, the drink-food was provided from a bicycle that moved at its pace so that the athlete did not waste time slowing down at the hydration points.

The mark obtained by all these things was not officially approved by the IAAF (it is now called World Athletics) for all these circumstances, but it is a clear example of the combination of the sportsmanship of an exceptional athlete and technological assistance. Without technological advances, without this athlete and the preparation of the team, it would not have been possible to achieve one of the few marks that were considered unattainable.

On October 12, 2019, in Prater Park, in the City of Vienna, on a special circuit, Eliud Kipochge forgot that the 2-hour mark was unbreakable and ran the marathon at 1:59:40 with a smile on his face. The mark is not approved (the time accepted today is 2:01:09 also by Eliud Kipchoge) but it is a clear example of how science and technology can improve sports performance.

Federico Lerner, PhD

Director of Operations at LatinaBA, a regional CRO, and President of CAIC (Argentine Congress of Clinical Research). Dr. Lerner is responsible for leading international teams to conduct global clinical trials. He worked as a Latin American manager in global CRO and as a professor at different universities.