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The article discusses research in applied sports science, with a focus on how endurance runners' running economy (RE) is affected by concurrent endurance and strength training. Topics include maximal strength training, 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and countermovement jumps, and resting metabolic rate.

Purpose: Different aspects of pacing in endurance events have been investigated, however, there are very limited information on pacing strategies during open-water swimming. The aim was to describe and compare the pacing profile used by male and female open-water swimmers (OW-swimmers) during the 5-, 10- and 25 km races in the main international competitions. Methods: A total of 438 performances were analysed for 5 km, 579 for 10 km and 189 for 25 km, from 2012 to 2017. Swimmers were divided into four groups based on finishing time. G1 whose finishing times were within 0.5% of the winner's time, G2 between 0.51% and 1% slower than winner's time; G3 between 1.1% and 2% slower than winner's time; G4 over 2% of winner's time. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to verify the normal distribution of data and repeated measures ANOVA was performed. Results: G1 adopted a negative pacing and significantly increased the speed in the last split compared with the other groups during the 5-, 10- and 25-km races in both males and females (p < .001). During the 5- and 10-km race, the last split speed of G1 was significantly faster compared to the other groups in both males and females (p < .05). Conclusions: OW-swimmers that used a conservative approach remaining in G1 until the finish of the race, increase the possibility to win a medal in the main international competitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise is known to have beneficial effects on cognitive function. This effect is greatly favored by an exercise-induced increase in neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), especially with high-intensity exercises (HIE). As a complication of type 1 diabetes (T1D), a cognitive decline may occur, mostly ascribed to hypoglycaemia and chronic hyperglycaemia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute HIE on cognitive function and neurotrophins in T1D and matched controls. Ten trained T1D (8 males, 2 females) participants and their matched (by age, sex, fitness level) controls were evaluated on 2 occasions after familiarization: a maximal test to exhaustion and an HIE bout (10 intervals of 60 s at 90% of their maximal wattage followed by 60 s at 50 W). Cognitive tests and analyses of serum BDNF, IGF-1, and free insulin were performed before and after HIE and following 30 min of recovery. At baseline, cognitive performance was better in the controls compared with the T1D participants ( p < 0.05). After exercise, no significant differences in cognitive performance were detected. BDNF levels were significantly higher and IGF-1 levels were significantly lower in T1D compared with the control group ( p < 0.05) at all time points. Exercise increased BDNF and IGF-1 levels in a comparable percentage in both groups ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, although resting levels of serum BDNF and IGF-1 were altered by T1D, comparable increasing effects on BDNF and IGF-1 in T1D and healthy participants were found. Therefore, regularly repeating acute HIE could be a promising strategy for brain health in T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research conducted to investigate the variations of physiological and perceptual variables during a 10,000-meter race walking event in an effort to trace a performance profile of the distance. Researchers evaluated 14 male athletes. They found that they spent 95.4% at 90-100% of their peak heart rate and that during the race, a shift toward higher heart rate values was observed because the percentage of heart rate increased by 3.6% in the last 1,000-meter sector.