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Scaling in Athletic World Records

Sandra Savaglio·Vincenzo Carbone
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Abstract

World records in athletics provide a measure of physical as well as physiological human performance. Here we analyse running records and show that the mean speed as a function of race time can be described by two scaling laws that have a breakpoint at about 150-170 seconds (corresponding to the ~1,000 m race). We interpret this as being the transition time between anaerobic and aerobic energy expenditure by athletes.

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Sandra Savaglio, Vincenzo Carbone. 2000-03-18. Scaling in Athletic World Records. https://doi.org/10.1038/35005165

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