Insight researchers have been working on a wide range of research activities related to the scientific underpinnings of elite and recreational running for a number of years.  This work was initially carried out under different strands that were broadly categorised according to the data sources or fundamental data science concepts that were in play.  One stream of work concentrated on data related to training behaviours and race performance andstrategy. A second stream was primarily based on leveraging data from wearable sensors that were measuring biomechanical or physiological markers (Dillon et al 2022, Burke et al 2022, Kathirgamanathan et al 2022), and a third was focused on relevant clinical/human factors.
Fundamental data science concepts included time series signal processing techniques, functional component analysis and a range of machine learning concepts.
In 2022 considerable effort was directed towards bringing all Insight running related research together on an integrated platform. This resulted in targeted investment for the development of a software platform that will serve to integrate all workstreams through the roll out of the largest recreational running research programme that has ever been attempted.  The concept for this platform was presented to members of the running community at a large EPE event in UCD in September 2022.  This resulted in nearly 300 runners providing Insight with their contact details and provisional intent to participate in the prospective multimodal data capture and injury/performance modeling study that will launch in Q3 2023.

Investigators: Norma Bargary  (UL), Brian Caulfield (UCD), Cailbhe Doherty (UCD), Aonghus Lawlor (UCD), Kieran Moran (DCU), Mark Roantree (DCU), Michael Scriney (DCU), Andrew Simpkin (UG), Barry Smyth (UCD),  Tomas Ward (DCU)