Top runners get sport science performance boost
Published 20 March 2013
Five postgraduate sport science students from the School of Sport and Service Management got the chance to increase their vocational experience when they helped six top endurance runners improve their performance.
The students taking the Applied Exercise Physiology MSc degree were involved in the England Athletics project, which aims to educate athletes and their coaches in the physiology of endurance running to help them understand how best to train.
As part of the project, which is match-funded by Brighton Marathon Group, athletes from the South East have been invited to be performance-tested by the students at the Welkin Laboratories on the University's Eastbourne campus. The test methods are similar to those that were used to assess Olympic and Paralympic competitors as they prepared for the London 2012 Games.
Alex Bliss, Sport and Exercise Science Support Officer, is a regional physiologist for England Athletics and has worked on developing the project.
He said: “The project links in with the students’ professional enquiry module. It gives them hands-on experience with high-level external clients and the excellent vocational experience they gain from this is invaluable for the development of their CVs when entering the job market post-education.”
Matt Nunn, one of the participating MSc students, said the project was beneficial to students and athletes alike: “It was a fantastic opportunity to gain practical experience testing young elite athletes, assisting with their training and offering them potential further improvement.”
One of the athletes taking part was 17-year-old Grace Baker, from the Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletics Club. Grace has already run for England and Great Britain in the under-21 category.
Her father and coach Peter Baker attended the session with his daughter. He said: “It was very useful – the athletes were really put through their paces. The staff and students at the labs attempt to get the very best out of the people being tested.”
Alex Bliss explained just how the assessments could be made use of by athletes and coaches, such as Grace and her father: “We can use the information obtained from the assessments to help the athletes and coaches correctly structure their future training to help improve performance using scientific understanding.”
One athlete, Nicole Taylor, a member of Tonbridge Athletic Club, hopes to represent England and Great Britain in the future. She said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my day and found the people there really helpful. My coach and I hope this will lead to improved training.”
Over the next 12 months, many more athletes will benefit from the physiological assessments being carried out at the labs under the England Athletics partnership.
