Why some runners crash when training hard
Muscle fiber typology is associated with the incidence of overreaching in response to overload training.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some runners get too tired to run well after lots of hard training, while others bounce back stronger. This study checked what makes the difference.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 545 / 72
Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some runners get too tired to run well after lots of hard training, while others bounce back stronger. This study checked what makes the difference.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 545 / 72
Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Publication
Authors
Bellinger P, Desbrow B, Derave W, Lievens E, Irwin C, Sabapathy S, Kennedy B, Craven J, Pennell E, Rice H, Minahan C
Related Content
Claims (4)
Elite middle-distance runners with more fast-twitch muscle fibers (based on certain chemical levels) might be more likely to get overtrained after intense training, while those with more slow-twitch fibers tend to recover better and perform stronger after rest.
When 24 top middle-distance runners did a tough 3-week training plan, half got so worn down that their performance dropped, while the other half felt tired but still performed well — showing that people respond very differently to intense training.
Elite middle-distance runners with more of a certain muscle chemical (carnosine) tend to get worse, not better, after intense training and rest—meaning their performance drops instead of improving.
People with more fast-twitch muscles or who are older may bounce back slower after workouts and are more likely to get overtrained than younger people or those with more slow-twitch muscles.