Somatotype, body composition and performance in ultramarathon

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize somatotype, analyze anthropometric indicators associated with body composition during the race and verify possible relationships with the performance of athletes in a 217-km ultramarathon. For this, ten male volunteers (42.8 ± 3.5 years; 171.4 ± 1.9 cm height, 70.7 ± 3.1 kg body mass; 15 ± 3 years of running exercise) performed a critical velocity (CV) test one week before the competition and were submitted to anthropometric measurements before, at 84 km of the race and at the end of the race. Volunteers finished the race in 46.8 ± 3.4 h (4.9 ± 0.4 km / h; 33.4 ± 1.8% CV). Mean values equivalent to somatotype components accounted for 3.4 ± 0.4 for endomorphy, 5.2 ± 0.4 for mesomorphy and 1.7 ± 0.3 for ectomorphy. Body mass, body mass index, fat-free mass and chest circumference decreased (P <0.05) after 84 and 217 km compared to baseline. Pre-race values of thigh skinfold thickness (R = 0.79) and waist circumference (R = 0.64) were significantly correlated (P <0.05) with final race time. Thus, we concluded that ultramarathoners had mean endo-mesomorph somatotype and reductions in both body mass and fat-free mass during and after the race. Furthermore, the results suggest that increased body fat deposits concentrated in the lower limbs and abdominal region may have a negative impact on the performance of the athletes in 217-km ultramarathon.