Physiological Aspects of Marathon Running

The marathon is a testament to human endurance and determination, attracting millions of runners worldwide each year. The physical and mental dedication it requires presents an intriguing realm for scientific exploration, particularly from a physiological perspective. The physiology of marathon running pertains to how the body adapts to the intense rigors of long-distance running, offering insights into the heart’s functions, muscular adaptations, energy use, and other complex mechanisms during the marathon. Understanding these processes illuminates not only the capability of marathon runners but also fundamental aspects of human health and endurance. For this reason, the physiological basis of marathon running’s importance extends beyond the running community, rendering significant scientific, health, and societal implications.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions that enhance our understanding of the physiology of marathon running. Potential areas of interest are:

- Influence of endurance running on the gut microbiota, the immune system, and on biomarkers such as hormones, cytokines, and metabolites.
- Foods, flavors and natural substances that affect endurance running.
- Nutritional strategy during marathon race to improve marathon performance.
- Role of the central nervous system in endurance running.
- New technologies for the assessment of endurance running, including energy expenditure, sweating, skeletal damage.
- Prevention of muscle damage during marathon race.
- Gastrointestinal symptom during marathon running
- Cooling strategy during marathon race to improve marathon performance.

We welcome the submission of different article types to this collection, especially reviews, mini-reviews, and original research papers.

Even though it is not mandatory, we encourage all interested researchers to submit a summary of their manuscript before submitting their work. Manuscript summaries do not have to coincide with the final abstract of the manuscripts.