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Even for elite athletes, the body’s metabolism has its limits

Analyses of 14 endurance athletes show there’s a limit to how much energy a body can burn

Two men wearing backpacks move along a trail. Mountains with a dusting of snow fill the background.

Ultra-endurance athlete and study participant Joe McConaughey (right) burns lots of energy at the 2022 Cocodona 250 ultramarathon.

Michael Dillon

By Laura Sanders

Ultra-endurance athletes triumph over staggering distances and harsh conditions. But one of their toughest foes may be their own metabolic ceiling.