TABLE 3.

Cardiovascular stability and pacing regulation in negative split strategies.

Physiological/psychological aspect	Effect of negative split strategy
Cardiovascular drift	Attenuated due to lower early heart rate and reduced thermal and dehydration stress
Heart rate response	Delayed rise in HR allows more stable cardiac output during the race
VO2 kinetics	Improved maintenance of VO2 kinetics in later stages of race
Oxygen delivery	More efficient transport of oxygen to working muscles
Perceived exertion	Lower RPE in early stages; gradual increase supports effort regulation
Performance reserve	Preserved cardiovascular reserve for final push in race