reviews why the
novices joined Team NOVA.
profiles the team
that will be coaching the runners from start to finish.
shows the tests
team members undergo at Tufts University to establish baseline fitness
levels—a sophisticated body composition analysis and a maximum oxygen
consumption measurement, known as VO2 max.
notes that runners
who are at an ideal body weight may still be over-fat and under-muscled.
reveals through
animations how VO2 max provides information on heart, blood vessel,
and capillary fitness.
reviews the runners' 40-week training regimen.
notes the
circulatory system improvements that occur after nine weeks of
training—hearts are more efficient, arteries are more elastic, new
capillaries have developed, and mitochondria have increased to aid aerobic
metabolism.
chronicles the
physical injuries and mental challenges the runners face as they carry out
their training.
identifies the two
types of muscle fibers in the human body.
presents the idea that humans evolved anatomically to run long distances, an advantage
that would have allowed them to engage in long-distance hunts.
notes that most heart attacks are caused by blocked coronary
arteries—often due to a poor diet and lack of exercise—rather than
by a tired and stressed heart muscle.
retests body composition
and maximum oxygen consumption in the trained runners and finds that while most
have dramatically improved their VO2 scores, few weight or body
composition changes occurred.
explains why
running on its own is not particularly effective for active weight loss
efforts.
points out that the
body uses both fat and carbohydrates for fuel to run, and that while even lean
people have a large reserve of fat, carbohydrates stored as glycogen in the
liver can be depleted during a marathon.
follows Team NOVA
members as they run the 2007 Boston Marathon.
NOVA assembles a team of 13 sedentary
non-athletes aged 21 to 60 to face the ultimate test: Run the 26.2-mile Boston
marathon.
