The Physical Difference Between Long Distance Runners & Sprinters

To the trained eye, the differences between sprinters and long distance runners are similar to those between a top fuel drag race car and a hybrid engine fuel-efficient car. From the differences in the type of fuel and the makeup of the engine to the body design and physical demands of the sport, the sprinter and the distance runner are two different beasts.

  1. Sprint Muscle and Distance Muscle

    • Sprinters contain a majority of type-2 muscle fibers, which help them move extremely fast down the track for the short events -- the 100M, 200M, 400M and 800M -- but keep them from excelling in long-distance events due to early muscle fatigue. Distance runners lack top-end speed due to their majority of type-1 muscles but thrive in longer runs with oxygen fueling their muscles.

    Blood and Aerobic Capacity

    • Another difference between the two athletes, at the world class level, is their natural born baseline aerobic capacity. Some people are born with a better ability to use oxygen in a state of elevated heart rate. and the more efficiently you use oxygen, the longer you last. As discussed in the book “The Sports Gene” by David Epstein, most of the elite distance runners in the world are gifted with a much better baseline aerobic capacity than those who can’t quite keep up. Elite sprinters lack this elite BAC when compared to distance runners.

    Energy Efficiency

    • Elite endurance runners are masters of energy efficiency and benefit from having extremely long legs in relation to their torso with skinny ankles and calves. These long legs cover more ground per stride and use up much less energy with those skinny lower limbs than an individual with thick strong calves and ankles. Thick lower legs tax the body the same way wearing ankle weights would. Although sprinters do not benefit from having big calves and ankles, either, they tend to have thicker, stronger, more force-generating legs than distance runners.

    Sport-Specific Demands

    • Sport-specific training broadens the gap between these bodies as well. Sprinters have to start fast and finish faster. Speed is a product of many things, starting with ground force, and to build ground force, sprinters need to train with heavy weights, short sprints and very explosive movements, resulting in a dynamic, muscular physique. Although distance runners also benefit from power training and sprints, they regularly train longer distances that cause a loss of muscle mass to conserve energy for the task. If sprinters train long distance, they actually can force their muscles to react more slowly.