Question

17. Ready... Set... GO! Imagine you are running a 100 m sprint. World-class

athletes can do this in less than 15 seconds. Sprinting like this is an all-out effort,
though. A lot of energy is needed to move this fast. Muscles have enough ATP in
them to move this fast for a second or two, but to move this fast for longer they
need more energy, FAST! Athletes sprinting at this level may not even breathe
during the 15 seconds of the race. But you'll see they are breathing heavily for
minutes afterward. Cellular respiration cannot make that much ATP that fast. So
where do they get the energy to sprint like this?

Answer 1

Sprinters derive energy initially from stored ATP, then from creatine phosphate, and later through anaerobic glycolysis using glycogen, resulting in lactic acid as a by-product. This allows for sustained high-intensity performance even when oxygen is temporarily scarce during a sprint.

Step-by-step explanation:

Energy Sources for Sprinting

During a 100m sprint, muscle cells require a rapid supply of energy that aerobic cellular respiration cannot provide quickly enough. Initially, ATP stores in the muscles are used, which last only a few seconds. Subsequently, energy is derived from creatine phosphate, which supplies the muscles for about 8-10 seconds. As the race continues, muscles turn to glycogen reserves to produce ATP via glycolysis, a process that does not require oxygen and can support intense activity for approximately 90 seconds. Lactic acid is a by-product of this anaerobic metabolism, which can cause muscle fatigue and soreness.

After the race, heavy breathing occurs as the sprinter's body transitions back to aerobic respiration to fulfill the oxygen debt and recover from the exertion. Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, use a different strategy by maximizing glycogen storage through carbohydrate loading, providing a longer-term energy source that is metabolized into ATP through aerobic pathways.