RESEARCH NEWS

10km events running away in the popularity contest

Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research has shown a significant annual increase in finishers of 10km races amongst top male and female runners, with increasingly more women accomplishing a sub- 60 minute time compared to men.

Of the 408,296 runners analysed from 2002-2011, research demonstrated an increasingly lower percentage of overall finishers are completing 10km events in less than one hour. This suggests 10km events are becoming more popular amongst newer runners, particularly women, who began outnumbering men in these events from 2006.

The study, led by Dr. Dan Cushman of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, was the first of its kind to analyse performance trends amongst 10km runners in the USA, showed:

• The top groups of men and women appear to be getting faster

• The fastest men are also increasingly younger

• There are more sub-hour finishers, with increasingly more women accomplishing this feat compared to men

• An increasing percentage of finishers, however, are completing races in more than one hour

With mass-participation events becoming more popular, this type of event could act as the perfect goal for your clients.

Visit www.runnersworld.co.uk/ events for a calendar of UK running events taking place in 2014.

10

Moderate exercise can help prevent depression

Recent research from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that moderate exercise not only treats depression, but can also prevent its development in the long term.

Professor Guy Faulkner and PhD candidate George Mammen’s longitudinal review (published in the journal’s October issue) was the first study of its kind to focus exclusively on exercise’s impact in maintaining positive mental health and its role in preventing depression later in life.

Twenty sixe years of research findings were reviewed and analysed by the two authors, leading to the conclusion that even minimum levels of physical activity can help prevent

depression across all age groups.

Mammen acknowledges that other factors influence a person’s likelihood of experiencing depression, including genetic makeup. However, he says that the scope of research he assessed demonstrates that regardless of individual predispositions, there is a clear implication for everyone.

Mammen commented: “It’s definitely worth taking note that if you’re currently active, you should sustain it. If you’re not physically active, you should initiate the habit. This review shows promising evidence that the impact of being active goes far beyond the physical.”

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ONLINE TO EARN CPD POINTS Please log into the members’ area of the REPs website to give your answers

Q1 Q2 Q3

Faulkner and Mammen’s longitudinal review into exercise and depression was based on how many years of research? a) 16 b) 26 c) 36

The study by Dr Dan Cushman into mass- participation events showed that in the top groups:

a) Men and women’s pace remained the same b) Men and women’s pace increased c) Only men’s pace increased, however women’s pace stayed the same

How many trials were analysed to determine whether exercise can be used as an alternative to, or alongside, drug therapy to treat depression? a) 205 b) 305 c) 405

The REPS Journal 2014;29(January):10-11