Herman’s condition is called muscle cramp and soreness. When our body perform an intense workout we began to breathe faster as we attempted to shuttle more oxygen in our working muscles. In aerobic respiration the body generate most of its energy by oxygen. The race made Herman’s body require more energy production faster than his body can adequately deliver oxygen. In this case, the working muscles generate energy anaerobically. This energy comes from glucose through a process called glycolysis, in which glucose is broken down or metabolized into a substance called pyruvate through a series of steps. When the body has plenty of oxygen, pyruvate is shuttled to an aerobic pathway to be further broken down for more energy. But when oxygen is limited, the body temporarily converts pyruvate into a substance called lactate, which allows glucose breakdown to continue the production of energy. The working muscle cells can continue this type of anaerobic energy production at high rates for one to three minutes, during which time lactate can accumulate to high levels. …show more content…
The same metabolic pathways that permit the breakdown of glucose to energy perform poorly in this acidic environment. On the surface, it seems counterproductive that a working muscle would produce something that would slow its capacity for more work. This is a natural defense mechanism for the body because it prevents permanent damage during extreme exertion by slowing the key systems needed to maintain muscle contraction. Once the body slows down, oxygen becomes available and lactate convert back to pyruvate, allowing continued aerobic metabolism and energy for the body’s recovery from the intense event. (Stephen,