Background

The training characteristics and training intensity distribution (TID) of elite athletes have been extensively studied, but a comprehensive analysis of the TID across runners from different performance levels is lacking.

Methods

Training sessions from the 16 weeks preceding 151,813 marathons completed by 119,452 runners were analysed. The TID was quantified using a three-zone approach (Z1, Z2 and Z3), where critical speed defined the boundary between Z2 and Z3, and the transition between Z1 and Z2 was assumed to occur at 82.3% of critical speed. Training characteristics and TID were reported based on marathon finish time.

Results

Training volume across all runners was 45.1 ± 26.4 km·week⁻¹, but the fastest runners within the dataset (marathon time 120–150 min) accumulated > three times more volume than slower runners. The amount of training time completed in Z2 and Z3 running remained relatively stable across performance levels, but the proportion of Z1 was higher in progressively faster groups. The most common TID approach was pyramidal, adopted by > 80% of runners with the fastest marathon times. There were strong, negative correlations (p < 0.01, R² ≥ 0.90) between marathon time and markers of training volume, and the proportion of training volume completed in Z1. However, the proportions of training completed in Z2 and Z3 were correlated (p < 0.01, R² ≥ 0.85) with slower marathon times.

Conclusion

The fastest runners in this dataset featured large training volumes, achieved primarily by increasing training volume in Z1. Marathon runners adopted a pyramidal TID approach, and the prevalence of pyramidal TID increased in the fastest runners.

中文翻译：

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马拉松运动员在不同表现水平上的训练强度分布

 背景

精英运动员的训练特性和训练强度分布 （TID） 已被广泛研究，但缺乏对不同表现水平跑步者的 TID 的全面分析。

 方法

分析了 119,452 名跑步者完成 151,813 场马拉松比赛前 16 周的训练课程。TID 使用三区方法（Z1、Z2 和 Z3）进行量化，其中临界速度定义了 Z2 和 Z3 之间的边界，假设 Z1 和 Z2 之间的过渡发生在临界速度的 82.3% 处。根据马拉松完成时间报告训练特征和 TID。

 结果

所有跑步者的训练量为 45.1 ± 26.4 km·week⁻¹，但数据集中最快的跑步者（马拉松时间 120-150 分钟）积累的 > 量是速度较慢的跑步者的三倍。Z2 和 Z3 跑步完成的训练时间在不同的表现水平上保持相对稳定，但在逐渐加快的组中，Z1 的比例更高。最常见的 TID 方法是金字塔法，> 80% 的马拉松时间最快的跑步者采用该方法。马拉松时间与训练量标志物与 Z1 中完成的训练量比例之间存在很强的负相关 （p < 0.01， R² ≥ 0.90）。然而，在 Z2 和 Z3 中完成的训练比例与较慢的马拉松时间相关 （p < 0.01， R² ≥ 0.85）。

 结论

此数据集中最快的跑步者具有较大的训练量，主要是通过增加 Z1 中的训练量来实现的。马拉松运动员采用锥体 TID 方法，金锥体 TID 的患病率在最快的跑步者中增加。