Fitter Radio Episode 526 - Ciara Feely: Marathon Running - Predicting Injury and the Impact on Race Day Performance

Ciara Feely has a BSc. in Mathematics and Statistics and an MSc. in Sociology and Data Analytics. She is currently working towards a PhD investigating the use of recommender systems to support physical exercise, particularly in the field of marathon running. Ciara specialises in the analysis of large runners' datasets for injury prediction and explanation. In this episode, we explore her work with a focus on the impact of running-related injuries. We discuss the impact of training disruptions on marathon performance and how it varies between genders. Plus, we explore further the role of machine learning and AI in the sports sector, discussing their potential benefits and inherent challenges. We look at the ability of AI to extract useful insights from extensive datasets, and the relationship between human coaching and technology-based interventions. Lastly, we highlight the repercussions of training disruptions on marathon performance and the potential of technologies like Strava to analyse and prevent running-related injuries. LINKS: More about Ciara Feely at https://linktr.ee/phdproductivity A Case-Based Reasoning Approach to Predicting and Explaining Running Related Injuries at https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-86957-1_6 Estimating the cost of training disruptions on marathon performance at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.1096124/full