Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: benep on 13/04/2007 14:54:12

Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: benep on 13/04/2007 14:54:12
hello all well im a fast runner but i am quite slow walker and i dont quite get it im healthy and young but when i whent shopping with my mum she was walking faster than me  [:o] and i just dotn get it why am i fast runner but a slow walker [???]  [:-\]
Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: neilep on 13/04/2007 14:59:50
This is a great question.........lets hope a passing 'fast runner-slow walker' stops by to answer !


Thing is ...Girlies (like your mum) have a natural drive when it comes to shopping....shops are a magnet to them !!...it's not that they are really walking faster it's that the shops are pulling them in !!....it only affects the girlies you see !!
Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: benep on 13/04/2007 15:02:22
good point explains alot ^^
Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: neilep on 13/04/2007 15:06:31
You're welcome...glad I could help.

Though, lets hope a REAL answer come along eh ?
Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: Seany on 13/04/2007 15:10:17
Yes Neil.. That was a "sensible" answer.. But I must say, you were answering it in quite a sarcastic way!

However, I guess it does make sense, seeing I hate shopping. Makes you dawdle more. Like a penguin.

I still can't believe you got complimented on your answer. [:o] [:P]
Title: do all fast runners?
Post by: another_someone on 13/04/2007 15:11:17
hello all well im a fast runner but i am quite slow walker and i dont quite get it im healthy and young but when i whent shopping with my mum she was walking faster than me  [:o] and i just dotn get it why am i fast runner but a slow walker [???]  [:-\]

When you say that you are a fast runner - what do you mean?

Do you mean that you accelerate fast, or are a fast sprinter; or do you mean that you can sustain speed for a long time, and are a good marathon runner?

Walking takes relatively little energy burn, but depends a lot on your stride - I would guess that you have a fairly short stride.

Running can also be influenced by your stride, but it also depends on the power you have in your leg muscles (good for sprints) and your ability to sustain high energy (good heart, lungs, general blood flow, and efficiency of muscles) over long periods required for marathon running.

I would guess that your mother has a longer stride than you.

Also weight can make quite a difference.  An ideal runner is light and tall.  Light to minimise the amount of energy required to carry their body at speed, and tall so they have a longer stride.  A tall and heavy person can walk fast because it does not take much energy to walk, but the height will help them with a long stride.  A light and short person may not have the benefit of a long stride, but the reduced energy requirement, combined with good muscles and good heart and lungs can be used to compensate for lack of height (you will need more strides to cover the same distance, but you will have the energy available to you to do that).