Solinsky 5k = greatest energy output per unit time for distance running?

Sprint Geezer · 2011-03-16T09:24:36-04:00

Some b.s. stats for the distance crew: I'll arbitrarily define "distance running" as 5k and above. From various sources, "body mass can predict energy expenditure with reasonable accuracy when running on a firm level surface (road, track or grass). The amount of calories required to run 1 km equals your weight in kg (a runner of 78 kg will burn 78 Calories/km)." Using that, and using a body mass of 73.2 kg for Solinsky and his 5k time of 12:56, that gives a rate of energy expenditure of 28.26 Calories/min. By way of meaningless personal contrast, my own rate of energy expenditure for an 18:30 5k at 82.7 kg is 22.35 Calories/min. Assuming the same efficiency for both of us, that sucks! I'd have to run a 14:37 5k to match that rate of energy expenditure at my present body mass. That comparison sucks. I don't feel so badly considering he is probably #1 by this measure, and I know that my rate of energy output over 100m blows his away. Over 10k, using 27:00, Solinsky's rate was 27.11 Calories/min. Comparing the reported next-heaviest guy under 27:00 in the 10k, Mourhit, and using his 26:52.30, gives 23.79 Calories/min, which makes me feel much better. I know a measure of rate of energy expenditure depends on lean body mass--i.e. how much lean muscle there is to support the required metabolism, so that this measure is kind of a no-brainer--but wow. Because I am heavier than he, and just as lean, yet he can maintain a higher distance energy rate than I can, speaks to his metabolic pathways, pain threshold or both. Bekele's absurd 26:17.53 at 54 kg gives only 20.53 Calories/min, because he is so light. Per unit body mass, Bekele has the edge at 0.38, over Solinsky and Mourhit tied at 0.37--essentially the same. What I wonder about is core cooling. At that much greater rate of energy expenditure, Solinsky is generating a lot more heat than the other guys. I wonder if the limitations on his heat rejection would affect him at higher temperatures over, say, the 10k distance. Also, you probably won't be seeing him in a marathon any time soon--at least not a hot marathon! Is there some heavier guy running amazing 5k and 10k times, who would exceed even Solinsky?

Old runner wrote:
I don't want to read the whole thread to see if this has been addressed... But I don't accept the basic premise that Kg of mass equals calories burned for 1Km of distance. Can't remember the formula at the moment, but it has to do with mass over distance over time which affects the calories burned. I'm old school so I will use miles...
When I walk 1 mile in 16 minutes I burn about 128 calories. When I jog 1 mile in 10 mins, I burn about 192 calories, when I run 1 mile in 7:30, I burn about 178 calories. My point is that I get less efficient as I go from walking to running and more efficient as I move from running to running faster across the distance. However, I increase my calories per minute across the whole scale during the course of the distance.
OP may be right about Solinsky having greatest energy output, but not for the right reason in the post.
Cheers all

I think net caloric burn (that is, total calories burned subtracting the calories you would have burn over that interval regardless of motion) for covering 1 mile distance tends to be pretty static at any one specific weight. Once you go from walking to running, the pace becomes irrelevant in the calculation of net caloric burn, which I think is the number the kg/km rule gives (it predicts a 150 lb person would net a burn of 110 calories running 1 mile, which is fairly accurate)

I am fuzzy on this stuff so I might be mistaken, but I think that is the distinction that supports Sprint Geezer's initial premise.

Run Fat Boy Run wrote:
haha YO wrote:
I don't think there are any 200 pound people who can run a 16 minute 5k. Not gonna happen.
It's probably rare, but this is definatley possible. I am 6-3 and currently around 180. My PR is 14:48 (6 years ago, only weighed about 160-165 at the time). I now only run about 40 miles a week with only a few workouts, mostly tempos, and three weeks ago I ran 16:15. I'm not saying 20 pounds and 15 seconds isn't a lot, but this is definatley possible.
I know several current and ex-military friends who are 200 (almost all muscle) and can run mid 17:00's and they are not even former runners, just really fit. You don't think Solinsky or Mottram could gain 35-40 lbs and slow down by less than 3 minutes?

I also know a guy who weighs about 190 and has a 5K PR in the 14:20 - 14:30 range and a marathon PR a little under 2:30. I have absolutely no doubt that he could gain 10 pounds and still run sub 15. The dude trains like a lion but looks like a bear. Go figure...

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