East African Running : Toward a Cross-Disciplinary Perspective

by Pitsiladis, Yannis

• ISBN13: 9780203099346
• ISBN10: 0203099346
• Copyright: 2006-12-14
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

What makes East African middle and long distance runners the best in the world? How should contemporary academia approach this question? The success of East African distance runners has generated a plethora of studies but much of the 'evidence' presented to support hypotheses is anecdotal, arguments being led by non-academics who use popular media as their medium rather than relying on scientific publications. This has resulted in many stereotypical arguments being advocated. Within the academic community, research has also been restricted by its isolation within either the natural science or social science communities. East African Running: Towards a Cross Disciplinary Perspective, presents a rare collaboration between researchers from the sports sciences and social sciences to explore the questions raised by the phenomena of East African success on the track. The text includes: psycho-social and economic explanations physiological and genetic explanations attempts to provide unified theories bringing together ideas from natural and social sciences Includes contributions from John Bale, Jim Denison, Timothy D. Noakes and Craig Sharp.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Notes on Contributors

Socio-Economic and Cultural Perspectives

Kenyan Running Before the 1968 Mexico Olympics

The Promise and Possibilities of Running In and Out of East Africa

Raiders from the Rift Valley: Cattle Raiding and Distance Running in East Africa

The Haile Gebrselassie Story: A Biography of Difference

Physiological Perspectives

Outstanding Performance Despite Low Fluid Intake: The Kenyan Running Experience

Energy Balance and Body Composition of Elite Endurance Runners: A Hunter-Gatherer Phenotype

Diet and Endurance Performance of Kenyan Runners: A Physiological Perspective

Dominance of Kenyan Kalenjins in Middle- and Long-Distance Running

Understanding the Dominance of African Endurance Runners: Exercise Biology and an Integrative Model

Studies of Physiological and Neuromuscular Function of Black South African Distance Runners

Erythropoietic Indices in Elite Kenyan Runners Training at Altitude: Effects of Descent to Sea Level

Athleticogenomic Perspectives

Genes and Human Elite Athletic Performance

Genetics and Endurance Performance

Evidence for the 'Natural' East African Athlete

Index

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