# Sprinters' Bodies vs. Distance Runners' Bodies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinters-bodies-vs-distance-runners-bodies/502597>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [July 10, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinters-bodies-vs-distance-runners-bodies/502597 "2009-07-10T19:18:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinters-bodies-vs-distance-runners-bodies/502597/11 "2009-07-15T19:43:53Z")

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**Mojo Pin** brought up the same article in [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=520380&page=2)Start at post 152.

> [@Couch-to-5K: Anyone with me?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couch-to-5k-anyone-with-me/499089/155):
>
> I’ll deal with each article separately.
> 
> **Fit in Six**
> 
> In the rat experiment, there was no test to see if the short interval group actually gained fitness. The conclusion is based on molecular changes which suggest a result, not provide it.
> 
> In the test with college students, they do test with a time trial but the duration of that trial is not stated. It could be a 5 minute effort which will respond to training interval style yet if the trial were an hour the results may have been much different.
> 
> The 6-9 min of high intensity training doesn’t include warm up or cool down. When I used to do interval work my warm up/cooldown could total as much as 4-4.5 miles. Do that 3 times a week and you have a runner doing distance work plus some high intensity intervals.
> 
> The article states that only cyclists and swimmers were tested.

> [@Couch-to-5K: Anyone with me?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couch-to-5k-anyone-with-me/499089/162):
>
> **Mojo Pin** , the point I was making was the researchers claimed all the fitness gains were from only the intense work. I was showing by my own example that warmup/cooldown distance(which the researchers excluded) could add up to a considerable amount of aerobic work. Also, the interval day I used for myself was not every day. Two times a week while peaking for a racing season with distance work the other days.

I have reservations about the conclusions in the article though I can’t tell if it’s sloppy researching or sloppy reporting.

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