Scientists at Dartmouth College found that runners with taller, leaner, longer limbs tended to excel in endurance competitions held in warm climates, while marathon runners with chunkier, shorter limbs performed better in colder climates. The results of the research were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The scientists analyzed data from nearly 200 triathlon participants over two decades. Triathletes in these competitions combine running, swimming and cycling over approximately 240 km. They found that running performance is partly related to how well an athlete’s physique is adapted to losing or maintaining heat in certain climates.
According to the authors, this study is one of the few studies linking human physiology to the so-called Bergman and Allen rules. These rules are named after 19th century biologists Carl Bergman and Joel Asaph Allen. According to them, the general body size of animals and the length and thickness of their limbs correspond to the climate.