Environmental, physiological, perceptual, and behavioral predictors of pacing and sprint ability during a self-paced 10 km run in hot conditions

This dataset supports the study that aimed to identify predictors of mean pacing and sprint ability during a self-paced 10 km run in hot conditions. Data were obtained from 75 records of recreational athletes who completed a 10 km run at maximal effort in an ambient temperature of 33 °C. Independent variables included maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O₂MAX), whole-body sweat loss, wind speed, wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), change in core body temperature (ΔTCORE: entire exercise and its first 5 km), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), pacing strategy, biological sex, thermal comfort, and percentage change in body mass (Δ% body mass). Dependent variables were mean pacing (min/km) and the ability to sprint in the last km (Δ pace, km 10 vs. km 1–9). Predictors were analyzed using hierarchical multiple linear regressions.<br>Results showed that mean pacing was best predicted by wind speed (β = -0.475), ΔTCORE (β = -0.417), V̇O₂MAX (β = -0.383), WBGT (β = 0.346), ΔTCORE 0–5 km (β = 0.330), and Δ% body mass (β = -0.254), explaining 58.9% of variance. Sprint ability was best predicted by RPE (β = 0.371), negative-split pacing strategy (β = −0.356), V̇O₂MAX (β = 0.307), WBGT (β = 0.286), HR (β = 0.289), and whole-body sweat loss (β = −0.195), with an adjusted R² = 0.525.<br>These findings demonstrate that mean pacing and sprint ability under heat stress are influenced by physiological (V̇O₂MAX and thermoregulatory responses), environmental (wind speed and WBGT), behavioral (pacing strategy), and perceptual (RPE) factors. This dataset provides a comprehensive basis for further research on exercise regulation in hot conditions.