The Challenge
The Netherlands has more than 2 million active runners. Many runners who run long distances suffer from gut issues. This is especially annoying when running a marathon, when all month-long preparation could literally and figuratively be flushed away in the toilet. This is a problem for the runner himself, but also for involved trainers, coaches and the organizers of the running events. Runner’s World UK has recently given extensive attention to his topic. And just think of the recent gut issues of Tom Dumoulin and Steven Kruiswijk during the Giro d’Italia!
Introducing project ‘Running Guts’
The presumption is that the composition of the bacteria in the guts can influence gut issues. We would like to investigate how and to what extent the composition of these micro biota play a role in gut issues, performance and the overall running experience. This is why we have started the project ‘Running Guts’. We have selected the Amsterdam marathon for the first field test of the project. We will follow a group of marathon runners in the preparation and execution of the marathon.
MyMicroZoo
We will conduct three measurements for each participant, in the period of June – October 2017. The analysis will be done by gut research lab MyMicroZoo. Participating in these measurement is easy to. Check the MyMicroZoo website to see how all this works.
Costs
Participating in the project ‘Running Guts’ is possible for the special price of EUR 90, – per runner. This will cover the costs of one measurement. The project partners will cover the costs of the other two measurements.
What is in it for you?
This series of measurements will provide you an unique insight into what happens to your micro biota during the training months. This can help you improve performance and the running experience. You will get access to personal information about your micro biota and additional information about the role of micro biota in general. We will also provide a unique running shirt and two information sessions for all participants. Finally, this is a unique opportunity and a practical way to support scientific research, within the context of an actual marathon. Do not hesitate to respond!
Criteria
We are looking for a total of 80 male runners, registered for the Amsterdam marathon on October 15 2017, between the age of 25 and 55, with a targeted end-time below 4 hours. We will announce who has been selected on the day of the kick-off. Unfortunately, due to the research design, we need to set some criteria. However, we consider to do this for other events as well as for other groups!
Planning
- Registration – Until July 5
- Kick-off Meetup – Wed Jul 5, at All4Running in Amsterdam
- First measurement – Sun Jul 30 (latest)
- Second measurement – October 1
- Third measurement – October 15 (marathon day)
- Closing Meetup – Jan 2018. Date and location will follow soon
Projectpartners
Download flyer ENG
Download flyer DUT
