Table 1 Predictors of performance
Study | Participants | Measures | Design | Evidence quality | Major findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Martinez-Navarro et al.[28] | 32 athletes who completed a 107 km mountain ultramarathon (13 females and 19 males) | Squat jump height, ankle rebound test (Leg Qindex), half squat IMVC, FVC, FEV1, PEF, MIP, 107 km race time | Cohort study | Low | MIP correlated with performance in males (r = 0.576, p = 0.010) Leg Qindex correlated with performance in females (r = − 0.607, p = 0.028) |
Martinez-Navarro et al.[16] | Same cohort as above study | V̇O2max, VT1 and VT2, Vpeak, MFO, body composition, 107 km race time | Cohort study | Low | Correlation with race time: peak oxygen uptake (males: r = − 0.63, p = 0.004; females: r = − 0.85, p < 0.001), peak speed (males: r = –0.74, p < 0.001; females: r = –0.69, p = 0.009), speed at first (males: r = –0.49, p = 0.035; females: r = –0.76, p = 0.003) and second (males: r = –0.73, p < 0.001; females: r = –0.76, p = 0.003) ventilatory threshold, and maximal fat oxidation (males: r = –0.53, p = 0.019; females: r = –0.59, p = 0.033) Percentage of fat mass (males: r = 0.58, p = 0.010; females: r = 0.62, p = 0.024) and lean body mass (males: r = –0.61, p = 0.006; females: r = –0.61, p = 0.026) In males: Vpeak and MFO together predicted 66% of variation in race time In females: V̇O2max predicted 69% of variation in race time |
Hoffman et al.[26] | 72 athletes (17 females and 55 males) who completed a 161 km ultramarathon with qualifying criteria | BMI, BF%, 161 km race time | Cross-sectional | Low | BF% related to running speed in males (R2 = 0.23; p = 0.0025), but not females |
Citarella et al.[27] | 10 athletes (4 females and 6 males) from the Italian ultramarathon team | BMI, body composition, dietary adequacy score, training volume, record 100 km time | Cross-sectional | Low | Strong association between training volume and 100 km record time with no sex differences (ρ = 0.891, p = 0.009) Females had higher dietary adequacy scores than males (39.94 ± 6.33 vs. 57.50 ± 10.78; p = 0.038) |
O’Loughlin et al.[15] | 83 athletes (26 females and 57 males) who completed a 62 km trail ultramarathon | BMI, training history, pre-race experience, race time | Cross-sectional | Low | Measures associated with running performance in females: training volume (R2 = 0.116, p = 0.049), half marathon (R2 = 0.509, p = 0.0001), 10 km (R2 = 0.373, p = 0.021), and 5 km PB (R2 = 0.432, p = 0.002). In males: Age (R2 = 0.061, p = 0.035), BMI R2 = 0.085, p = 0.016), average training speed (R2 = 0.183, p = 0.0001), number of training years (R2 = 0.079, p = 0.023), marathon (R2 = 0.233, p = 0.002) and 5 km PB (R2 = 0.225, p = 0.003) |
Coates et al.[29] | 31 athletes (20 females and 11 males) competing in a 50 km trail race | Training and racing history, anthropometrics, BP, HR, HRV, haematocrit, CPET | Cross-sectional | Low | BMI and MAP related to performance in males (BMI: r = 0.75, p < 0.05; MAP: r = 0.87, p < 0.001), but not in females (BMI: r = 0.02 ns, MAP: r = -0.31 ns) Age, resting HR, HRV, V̇O2max and Vpeak related to 50 km performance in both sexes |