Endurance running hypothesis

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The endurance running hypothesis is a theory of human evolution according to which many features of human anatomy can be described as adaptations to long distance running.

Most researchers have focused on ER performance in modern humans, or on reconstructing ER performance in Homo erectus; one recent paper has discussed the hypothesis in relation to homo neanderthalensis. Recent research suggests that running economy (i.e., the energy cost of running at a given speed) is strongly related to the length of the Achilles tendon moment arm. It is supposed to have its origins in persistence hunting, when humans would chase after their prey over long distances until the animal overheated, allowing the hunter to kill it with a sharp object.

The hypothesis was first proposed by Carrier in 1984 and was refined in 2009 with a study of human toes, and has been gaining influence in the field of paleoanthropology.

Relationship to modern human characteristics

The hypothesis supposedly explains all of the following charactersistics in modern humans:

• Hairlessness and an abundance of sweat glands, as a heat loss mechanism.
• Ability to tolerate somewhat greater changes in body water content than many other animals (a marathon runner may sweat off 3% of their body mass during a race).
• Short toes to allow gripping on soft surfaces, but not obstructing a good running stride.
• Large gluteal muscles (a prime mover in running).
• Human aptitude for endurance events such as ultra marathons; the Man vs. Horse Marathon in Wales has shown that given the right weather conditions it is in fact possible for a human to outrun a horse over a distance of 22 miles (35km). Meanwhile over a short distance the average domestic cat could outrun Usain Bolt.
• Increased body fat (1 pound of body fat is 3,500 kilocalories which can be burned by the body to allow for greater distances covered at a time).
• Long legs with springy tendons (long legs mean long stride, and springy tendons allows for a faster stride).
• Intolerance of sedentary lifestyle, regarding obesity and diabetes related pathologies.
• Ability to breathe through the mouth while running (running experts advise inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth to allow for maximum oxygen uptake without hyperventilating).

Criticisms

Archaeological evidence reveals that ungulates were the main prey of early man. Given their great speed, they would have easily been able to outrun early hominins. Ungulate speed, coupled with the variable visibility of the savanna-woodland, meant that hunting by endurance running required the ability to track prey, which would have been difficult given the lack of penetrating projectile technology at the time.

See also

• Aquatic ape hypothesis