Modelling the optimization of world-class 400 m and 1,500 m running performances using high-resolution data.

The 400 m and 1,500 m are track events that rely on different but important contributions from both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. The purpose of this study is to model men's and women's 400 m and 1,500 m championship performances to gain a deeper understanding of the key mechanical and physiological factors affecting running speed and bend running using high-resolution data from live competition (10 Hz). To investigate World-class athletes' instantaneous speeds, propulsive forces and aerobic and anaerobic energy, we model and simulate the performances of the men's and women's European Athletics 400 m champions, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Femke Bol, as well as the men's European Athletics 1,500 m champion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and the women's European Athletics U23 1,500 m champion, Gaia Sabbatini.

Pace and motor control optimization for a runner.

We present a model which encompasses pace optimization and motor control effort for a runner on a fixed distance. We see that for long races, the long term behaviour is well approximated by a turnpike problem, that allows to define an approximate optimal velocity. We provide numerical simulations quite consistent with this approximation which leads to a simplified problem.

A Model for World-Class 10,000 m Running Performances: Strategy and Optimization.

The distribution of energetic resources in world-class distance running is a key aspect of performance, with athletes relying on aerobic and anaerobic metabolism to greater extents during different parts of the race. The purpose of this study is to model 10,000 m championship performances to enable a deeper understanding of the factors affecting running speed and, given that more than half the race is run on curves, to establish the effect of the bends on performance. Because a limitation of time split data is that they are typically averaged over 100-m or 1,000-m segments, we simulate two 10,000 m runners' performances and thus get access to their instantaneous speed, propulsive force and anaerobic energy.

Optimal speed in Thoroughbred horse racing.

The objective of this work is to provide a mathematical analysis on how a Thoroughbred horse should regulate its speed over the course of a race to optimize performance. Because Thoroughbred horses are not capable of running the whole race at top speed, determining what pace to set and when to unleash the burst of speed is essential. Our model relies on mechanics, energetics (both aerobic and anaerobic) and motor control.

Correction to 'How to build a new athletic track to break records'.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200007.

How to build a new athletic track to break records.

We introduce a new optimal control model which encompasses pace optimization and motor control effort for a runner on a fixed distance. The system couples mechanics, energetics, neural drive to an economic decision theory of cost and benefit. We find how effort is minimized to produce the best running strategy, in particular, in the bend.

Optimizing running a race on a curved track.

In order to determine the optimal strategy to run a race on a curved track according to the lane number, we introduce a model based on differential equations for the velocity, the propulsive force and the anaerobic energy which takes into account the centrifugal force. This allows us to analyze numerically the different strategies according to the types of track since different designs of tracks lead to straights of different lengths. In particular, we find that the tracks with shorter straights lead to better performances, while the double bend track with the longest straight leads to the worst performances and the biggest difference between lanes.

Nonclassical rotational inertia of a supersolid.

As proposed by Leggett [Phys. Rev. Lett.

Dissipative flow and vortex shedding in the Painlevé boundary layer of a Bose-Einstein condensate.

This paper addresses the drag force and formation of vortices in the boundary layer of a Bose-Einstein condensate stirred by a laser beam following the experiments of Phys. Rev. Lett.