Researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) need ultra-marathon athletes for research about fatigue.

Mr John Roberts, lecturer in musculoskeletal physiotherapy in the CSU School of Community Health in Orange, said in particular his research group requires people who have entered 'The North Face 100' ultra-marathon in the Blue Mountains in May this year.

"We are studying the effects of intense training on neuromuscular factors such as fatigue, and in particular central fatigue," Mr Roberts said.

"We hope to recruit about 20 male or female participants who are training to compete in either the 50 kilometres or 100 kilometres categories of The North Face 100, as well as 20 'control' research participants who are training but not for a specific event. All need to be aged over 18, and free from neurological and lower limb musculoskeletal impairments."

Potential participants also need to be able to attend five research testing sessions held at CSU in Bathurst.

Mr Roberts explained that the research will help to inform the wider field of exercise science because it is the brain that ultimately dictates how much an individual can do physiologically.

"The brain drives the muscles, and in certain circumstances the brain will not allow the muscles to continue to generate force," he said. "We know this happens in ultra-marathons, but we don't know if it happens during training for ultra-marathons.

"There are lots of implications for this study, and we hope this will lead to further research to gain more information about training volume and the consequent intensity of rehabilitation of injuries."

The research team intends to conduct about five neuromuscular assessments over an 8 to ten week period leading up to The North Face 100.

"Participants will also undergo VO2 fitness testing, and hopefully a body fat composition (DXA) scan so at the end of the study they will potentially have information relating to their fitness (VO2), body fat composition (DXA).

"Also, we may be able to interpret their data to give them specific information about how their training has affected their neuromuscular measures," Mr Roberts said.

For more information or to register to participate, please contact Mr Roberts on 0429 311 992 or email joroberts@csu.edu.au.

The research team includes Mr John Roberts, and at the CSU School of Human Movement Studies in Bathurst, Dr Jack Cannon, senior lecturer and course coordinator for the Master of Clinical Exercise (Rehabilitation); Mrs Ashleigh Moreland, associate lecturer exercise science; Ms Nicole Vargas, tutor and PhD candidate; and Mr Stephen Goodman, Honours student.