ABSTRACT
Humans are exceptional endurance athletes. Compared to other quadrupedal mammals, our ability to engage in anaerobic activity such as sprinting is highly constrained. However, humans compare favorably to other species in athletic performance at moderate aerobic intensities (6, 7, 39). Understanding the evolutionary history of our endurance capabilities, along with adaptations that support human aerobic activity, may provide a foundation for exploring the underlying systems genetics of endurance sports and aerobic exercise.
