Thesis (M.Ed.)--Stephen F. Austin State University, 2003
The purpose of this study was to compare the running characteristics as measured by stride-length, stride-frequency, and trunk-lean of male collegiate distance runners while leading versus drafting. Ten members of the men's 2001 cross-country team at Rice University participated in this study. The participants were filmed from the left side on a 400-meter mondo track while running at approximately five-meters/second for a predetermined set of trials. The film data was then digitized for analysis by using the PEAKS Video/Computer Motion Measurement System. A multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the results derived by the computer analysis. There were slight differences found in the three running characteristics. However, the results statistically indicated that any difference between leaders and drafters was purely due to randomness