Purpose: Given the paucity of research on pacing strategies during competitive events, this study examinedudchanges in dynamic high-resolution performance parameters to analyze pacing profiles during a multiple-lapudmountain-bike race over variable terrain. Methods: A global-positioning-system (GPS) unit (Garmin, Edgeud305, USA) recorded velocity (m/s), distance (m), elevation (m), and heart rate at 1 Hz from 6 mountain-bikeudriders (mean ± SD age = 27.2 ± 5.0 y, stature = 176.8 ± 8.1 cm, mass = 76.3 ± 11.7 kg, VO2max = 55.1 ± 6.0 mLud· kg–1 . min–1) competing in a multilap race. Lap-by-lap (interlap) pacing was analyzed using a 1-way ANOVAudfor mean time and mean velocity. Velocity data were averaged every 100 m and plotted against race distanceudand elevation to observe the presence of intralap variation. Results: There was no significant difference in lap times (P = .99) or lap velocity (P = .65) across the 5 laps. Within each lap, a high degree of oscillation in velocity was observed, which broadly reflected changes in terrain, but high-resolution data demonstrated additionaludnonmonotonic variation not related to terrain. Conclusion: Participants adopted an even pace strategy acrossudthe 5 laps despite rapid adjustments in velocity during each lap. While topographical and technical variationsudof the course accounted for some of the variability in velocity, the additional rapid adjustments in velocityudmay be associated with dynamic regulation of self-paced exercise.
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