TABLE 2.

In-match running demands variables used in the study.

Variables	Description
Total distance (m)	Total distance describes the total number of meters covered by a player during the match. The metric is measured by the displacement of the GPS unit over time.
High-speed meters (m)	High-speed meters refer to distance covered at high speed. For the purpose of the current study, all meters ran above 5.56 m/s were registered as high-speed meters. Similar to total distance, the time between displacements of different samples when recording data indicates the type of meterage registered.
Maximum velocity (m/s)	Represents the maximum velocity achieved by a player during the match. Maximum velocity is registered at the peak of the player’s running performance.
Match intensity (m/min)	Measured as meters covered per minute, this metric represents an internal calculation of the GPS software that determines the meters ran over the duration of the match and equates it as match intensity. Cummins et al. (2013) similarly referred to relative distance (with reference to match intensity) as a calculated workload based on the overall distance covered per minute.
Number of accelerations (n) and decelerations (n)	Accelerations and decelerations indicate a change in speed over the established velocity zones. Accelerations are registered because of increases in speed through the velocity zones and decelerations are recorded because of decreases in speed through the velocity zones.
Velocity zones	Velocity zones 3 (4.44–5.56 m/s), 4 (5.57–6.94 m/s), and 5 (>6.95 m/s) were indicative of the total distance covered within the velocity zones.