The World Athletics Health & Science Department is recruiting endurance athletes competing at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 to participate in a study focused on heat acclimatisation and hydration/nutrition strategies.
Building on the successful research conducted at the World Championships in Doha in 2019, this new study continues investigation into the heat preparation strategies adopted by endurance athletes. The objective is to understand the knowledge, preparation and race-day nutritional behaviours of elite endurance runners. The study is open to male and female athletes competing in the marathon, 20km race walk and 35km race walk.
The following data will be collected as part of the study:
1. Pre-race preparation
• A questionnaire on heat preparation strategies.
• Body weight measurements taken immediately before and after the race.
2. Post-race recovery
• A questionnaire focusing on recovery strategies.
• Body weight measurement taken three hours after the race.
3. Sodium concentration measurements (for marathon runners only):
• Sweat sodium concentration levels measured during training the day before the race.
• Blood sodium concentration measured via fingertip capillary sampling (a few drops, 90 µl) during training the day before the race and again immediately after the race. This method is minimally invasive and presents negligible health risks to participants.
During the World Athletics Championships in Doha, 63% of surveyed athletes reported undergoing dedicated heat acclimation training (ranging from five to 30 days). These athletes generally performed better overall, ranked higher and were more likely to finish the race. Similarly, at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22, the top 10 finishers were more likely to have completed a heat acclimatisation protocol. However, 43% of participants had not completed any specific heat acclimatisation training.
This research aims to advance scientific understanding of:
• physiological tolerance to heat stress
• effectiveness of different heat acclimation strategies
• hydration and dehydration patterns
• the relationship of these factors on performance
Ultimately to identify the most effective strategies to safeguard the health of athletes.
Endurance athletes competing at the World Championships in Tokyo who are interested in participating in this research are invited to contact the World Athletics Health & Science Department at: healthandscience@worldathletics.org
World Athletics