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Abstract

Three mechanical variables constrain the speeds of human runners: 1) how 83 quickly the limbs can be repositioned for successive steps, 2) the forward distance the 84 body travels while the foot is in contact with the ground, and 3) how much force the 85 limbs can apply to the ground in relation to the body’s weight. Artificially increasing one 86 or more of these variables beyond the limits imposed by human biology would artificially 87 enhance running speeds.