**7. Conclusion and recommendations**

From the aforementioned, it is clear that sports science has continued to play an important role in improving performance in sports in general, and in endurance running in particular. Athletes from diverse parts of the world have continued to register improved performances in different athletic events over time, with occasional new world records. With stiff competition from athletes from other parts of the world and the higher stakes in the sports arena, constant upgrades and innovations in approaches to training and competition will continue to fuel more success. However, some approaches pose challenges to the nature of sports as a concept of celebrating natural human abilities. Efforts towards improving performance in marathon/road races and other endurance sports events have been accompanied by technological advancements in sports products such as running shoes, apparel, and sports drinks, which are out of reach to the majority of the population. Moreover, such new sports products have been introduced and widely popularised even before verification or validation through independent controlled studies, posing ethical and safety concerns. Manipulations of racing environments to create and take advantage of favourable air currents/vortex forces have been noted and are likely to impact the nature of endurance races in the future.

The interplay between nature and nurture determines the unique psychophysiological responses to training and competition, and technological exploits leading to advanced sports products coupled with favourable natural and/or manipulated training and competition environmental conditions will ensure continued realisation of the Olympic Motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' (Faster, Higher, Stronger). However, there is a need to constantly adjust the rules of the game to censor commercial interest and safeguard the safety of athletes and the nature of sports as a medium to celebrate natural human abilities. This is even more apparent as the IOC moves to expand the Olympic Motto by adding '–Together', to mitigate the effects of differences in access to sponsorship, sports products, and technology, as well as training environments among people of diverse natural athletic talents and backgrounds.
