Athletes have long sought ways to gain even a small edge that can make the difference between getting a medal and finishing in the middle of the pack, like altitude training or even performance-enhancing drugs.
Now British researchers are reporting that something completely legal and much less damaging to the body can dwarf the effects of drugs like EPO or testosterone. What really matters, they say, is whether the time of an event is in sync with an athlete’s body clock.
The most extreme example involves people who naturally go to bed late and wake up late. Even trying as hard as they can, they are as much as 26 percent slower when they sprint in the morning as in the evening. Individuals, like runners or cyclists, and people playing team sports, like soccer or football, would be affected.