Profile Summary
I have completed my BSc in Physical Education in Brazil in 2016. During my undergraduate studies, I developed an interest in analysing how athletes distribute their work-rate (i.e. pacing strategy) during ultramarathon running-races. Working in collaboration with University of Kent and University of Calgary we published the first study describing the pacing strategy adopted by runners during 24-h ultramarathons. After finishing my undergraduate course in 2016 I have started my MSc degree also in Brazil exploring pacing strategies during 6-h ultramarathons, in which I have completed in 2018. Fortunately, I was awarded a full-time scholarship to start the MPhil/PhD course at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2019.
My PhD studies focus on the mechanisms involved in pacing regulation. We aim to better understand how endurance athletes (i.e. runners and cyclists) distribute their exercise intensity and which psychophysiological mechanisms are responsible for variations in pacing during laboratory and field-based tests, as well as head-to-head competitions. We will hopefully help elucidate how pacing strategies and training sessions could be manipulated to optimise performance outcome during endurance exercise.
Supervisors: Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Andrew Edwards and Professor Florentina Hettinga (Northumbria University).
Publications:
Matta, G., Bossi, A. H., Millet, G. Y., Lima, P., Lima, J. P., & Hopker, J. G. (2019). Influence of a slow-start on overall performance and running kinematics during 6-h ultramarathon races. European Journal of Sport Science, (ahead of print), 1-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2019.1627422
Bossi, A. H., Matta, G., Millet, G. Y., Lima, P., Pertence, L. C., de Lima, J. P., & Hopker, J. G. (2017). Pacing strategy during 24-hour ultramarathon-distance running. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 12(5), 590–596. doi: https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2016-0237
Conference Publications
Matta, G., Bossi, A. H., Millet, G. Y., Lima, P., Freitas, J. V., Lima, J. P., & Hopker, J. G. (2018). Influence of the Initial Running Speed on Overall Performance and Mechanics During 6-hour Ultramarathon Races. In: 4th International Congress of Trail Running & 5th Annual Congress on Medicine & Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports, Castelló de la Plana, Spain.
Lima, P., Matta, G., Bossi, A. H., Pertence, L. C., Bara Filho, M. G., Hopker, J. G. (2017). Reliability of cycling performance during field-based uphill time-trials. In: Science & Cycling, Dusseldorf, Germany.
Bossi, A. H., Pertence, L. C., Lima, P., Matta, G., Lima, J. P., Hopker, J. G. (2016). No differences in gross efficiency between dominant and non-dominant legs during one-legged counterweighted cycling. In: Science & Cycling, Caen, France.
Matta, G., Bossi, A. H., Pertence, L. C., Lima, P., Bianchini, R., Lima, J. P., Hopker, J. G. (2015). Pacing strategy during a 24-hour ultramarathon running race performed on 400-m track. In: Endurance Research Conference, 2015, Chatam, United Kingdom.
Oral Presentations
Matta, G. (2018). Influence of the initial running speed on overall performance and mechanics during 6-hour ultramarathon races. 4th International Congress of Trail Running & 5th Annual Congress on Medicine & Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports, Univesitat Jaume I.
Matta, G., Brugiolo, E., Abreu, M., Mendes, S. (2018). The marathon from the practical and scientific point of view. (Roundtable). III Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics Conference, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
You can read more about my research on Research Gate.