East African Running

<p>What makes East African middle and long distance runners the best in the world? How should contemporary academia approach this question?</p><p>The success of East African distance runners has generated a plethora of studies but much of the 'evidence' presented to support hypotheses is anecdotal, arguments being led by non-academics who use popular media as their medium rather than relying on scientific publications. This has resulted in many stereotypical arguments being advocated.</p><p>Within the academic community, research has also been restricted by its isolation within either the natural science or social science communities. <em>East African Running: Towards a Cross Disciplinary Perspective</em>, presents a rare collaboration between researchers from the sports sciences and social sciences to explore the questions raised by the phenomena of East African success on the track. The text includes: </p><ul> <li>psycho-social and economic explanations </li> <li>physiological and genetic explanations</li> <li>attempts to provide unified theories bringing together ideas from natural and social sciences </li> </ul><p>Includes contributions from John Bale, Jim Denison, Timothy D. Noakes and Craig Sharp.</p> <p>Introduction Notes on Contributors <strong>Part 1: Socio-Economic and Cultural Perspectives</strong> 1. Kenyan Running Before the 1968 Mexico Olympics 2. The Promise and Possibilities of Running In and Out of East Africa 3. Raiders from the Rift Valley: Cattle Raiding and Distance Running in East Africa 4. The Haile Gebrselassie Story: A Biography of Difference <strong>Part 2: Physiological Perspectives</strong> 5. Outstanding Performance Despite Low Fluid Intake: The Kenyan Running Experience 6. Energy Balance and Body Composition of Elite Endurance Runners: A Hunter-Gatherer Phenotype 7. Diet and Endurance Performance of Kenyan Runners: A Physiological Perspective 8. Dominance of Kenyan Kalenjins in Middle- and Long-Distance Running 9. Understanding the Dominance of African Endurance Runners: Exercise Biology and an Integrative Model 10. Studies of Physiological and Neuromuscular Function of Black South African Distance Runners 11. Erythropoietic Indices in Elite Kenyan Runners Training at Altitude: Effects of Descent to Sea Level <strong>Part 3: Athleticogenomic Perspectives<em> </em></strong>12. Genes and Human Elite Athletic Performance 13. Genetics and Endurance Performance 14. Evidence for the 'Natural' East African Athlete</p>