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Uncertainty regarding impact of muscle vs fat on running pace

💚 healthpersonal problemSingle report ●●●●● severity 1/5

A runner in their mid-50s is unsure if weight gain from muscle versus fat affects 5k running pace differently, as current online calculators only account for total weight.

Who's affected: A runner in their mid-50s.

⚠️ Single report. This is one person's account. We mark it so until more voices confirm it.

What people do today

🔧 Fix this

Ideas a builder, maker or community group could start on:

  1. A running calculator that allows users to input body composition data (muscle mass vs fat mass) to estimate pace impact.
  2. A research-based guide or white paper explaining the physiological differences in running economy between muscle mass and fat mass.
  3. A mobile app that tracks body composition changes alongside running performance to help users identify their personal optimal weight profile.
I want to build this

Real voices

“does it make a significant difference whether it is muscle or fat (few fast distance runners are very muscly or very fat) and if so, how much difference does it make?”

Source: Stack Exchange (fitness) · CC BY-SA 4.0, user-contributed content from Stack Exchange; summarized and modified

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