scholarly journals Physiological factors affecting performance in elite distance runners

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leif Inge Tjelta ◽  
Shaher A. I. Shalfawi

Running distances from 3000 m to the marathon (42 195 m) are events dominated by energy contribution of the aerobic energy system. The physiological factors that underlie success in these running events are maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), running economy (RE), the utilization of the maximum oxygen uptake (%VO2max) and velocity at the anaerobic threshold (vAT). VO2max for distance runners competing on an international level has been between 70 and 87 ml/kg/min in men, and between 60 and 78.7 ml/kg/min in women, respectively. Due to lack of air resistance, laboratory testing of RE and vAT are recommended to be conducted on treadmill with 1% slope. %VO2max are in most studies expressed as the average fractional utilization of VO2max at vAT. Much of the current understanding regarding the response to exercise is based on studies of untrained and moderately trained individuals. To use this knowledge to give training recommendations to elite runners is hardly valid. Researchers should therefore exercise caution when giving training recommendations to coaches and elite distance runners based on limited available research.

2017 ◽  
Vol 02 (01) ◽  
pp. E1-E8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Batliner ◽  
Shalaya Kipp ◽  
Alena Grabowski ◽  
Rodger Kram ◽  
William Byrnes

AbstractRunning economy (oxygen uptake or metabolic rate for running at a submaximal speed) is one of the key determinants of distance running performance. Previous studies reported linear relationships between oxygen uptake or metabolic rate and speed, and an invariant cost of transport across speed. We quantified oxygen uptake, metabolic rate, and cost of transport in 10 average and 10 sub-elite runners. We increased treadmill speed by 0.45 m·s−1 from 1.78 m·s−1 (day 1) and 2.01 m·s−1 (day 2) during each subsequent 4-min stage until reaching a speed that elicited a rating of perceived exertion of 15. Average runners’ oxygen uptake and metabolic rate vs. speed relationships were best described by linear fits. In contrast, the sub-elite runners’ relationships were best described by increasing curvilinear fits. For the sub-elites, oxygen cost of transport and energy cost of transport increased by 12.8% and 9.6%, respectively, from 3.58 to 5.14 m·s−1. Our results indicate that it is not possible to accurately predict metabolic rates at race pace for sub-elite competitive runners from data collected at moderate submaximal running speeds (2.68–3.58 m·s−1). To do so, metabolic rate should be measured at speeds that approach competitive race pace and curvilinear fits should be used for extrapolation to race pace.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-145
Author(s):  
Ryo Yamanaka ◽  
Hayato Ohnuma ◽  
Ryosuke Ando ◽  
Fumiya Tanji ◽  
Toshiyuki Ohya ◽  
...  

Purpose: Increases in maximal oxygen uptake () and running economy improve performance in long-distance runners. Nevertheless, long-distance runners require sprinting ability to win, especially in the final phase of competitions. The authors determined the relationships between performance and sprinting ability, as well as other abilities in elite long-distance runners. Methods: The subjects were 12 elite long-distance runners. Mean official seasonal best times in 5000-m (5000 m-SB) and 10,000-m (10,000 m-SB) races within 1 year before or after the examination were 13:58.5 (0:18.7) and 28:37.9 (0:25.2) (mean [SD]), respectively. The authors measured 100-m and 400-m sprint times as the index of sprinting ability. They also measured and running economy ( at 300 m·min−1 of running velocity). They used a single correlation analysis to assess relationships between 5000 m-SB or 10,000 m-SB and other elements. Results: There were significant correlations between 5000 m-SB was significantly correlated with 100-m sprint time (13.3 [0.7] s; r = .68, P = .014), 400-m sprint time (56.6 [2.7] s; r = .69, P = .013), and running economy (55.5 [3.9] mL·kg−1·min−1; r = .59, P = .045). There were significant correlations between 10,000 m-SB and 100-m sprint time (r = .72, P = .009) and 400-m sprint time (r = .85, P < .001). However, there was no significant correlation between 5000 m-SB or 10,000 m-SB and (72.0 [3.8] mL·kg−1·min−1). Conclusions: The authors' data suggest that sprinting ability is an important indicator of performance in elite long-distance runners.


2009 ◽  
Vol 107 (6) ◽  
pp. 1918-1922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared R. Fletcher ◽  
Shane P. Esau ◽  
Brian R. MacIntosh

The purpose of this study was to compare running economy across three submaximal speeds expressed as both oxygen cost (ml·kg−1·km−1) and the energy required to cover a given distance (kcal·kg−1·km−1) in a group of trained male distance runners. It was hypothesized that expressing running economy in terms of caloric unit cost would be more sensitive to changes in speed than oxygen cost by accounting for differences associated with substrate utilization. Sixteen highly trained male distance runners [maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max) 66.5 ± 5.6 ml·kg−1·min−1, body mass 67.9 ± 7.3 kg, height 177.6 ± 7.0 cm, age 24.6 ± 5.0 yr] ran on a motorized treadmill for 5 min with a gradient of 0% at speeds corresponding to 75%, 85%, and 95% of speed at lactate threshold with 5-min rest between stages. Oxygen uptake was measured via open-circuit calorimetry. Average oxygen cost was 221 ± 19, 217 ± 15, and 221 ± 13 ml·kg−1·km−1, respectively. Caloric unit cost was 1.05 ± 0.09, 1.07 ± 0.08, and 1.11 ± 0.07 kcal·kg−1·km−1 at the three trial speeds, respectively. There was no difference in oxygen cost with respect to speed ( P = 0.657); however, caloric unit cost significantly increased with speed ( P < 0.001). It was concluded that expression of running economy in terms of caloric unit cost is more sensitive to changes in speed and is a more valuable expression of running economy than oxygen uptake, even when normalized per distance traveled.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 465-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philo U Saunders ◽  
David B Pyne ◽  
Richard D Telford ◽  
John A Hawley

1991 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 683-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Joyner

This paper examines current concepts concerning "limiting" factors in human endurance performance by modeling marathon running times on the basis of various combinations of previously reported values of maximal O2 uptake (VO2max), lactate threshold, and running economy in elite distance runners. The current concept is that VO2max sets the upper limit for aerobic metabolism while the blood lactate threshold is related to the fraction of VO2max that can be sustained in competitive events greater than approximately 3,000 m. Running economy then appears to interact with VO2max and blood lactate threshold to determine the actual running speed at lactate threshold, which is generally a speed similar to (or slightly slower than) that sustained by individual runners in the marathon. A variety of combinations of these variables from elite runners results in estimated running times that are significantly faster than the current world record (2:06:50). The fastest time for the marathon predicted by this model is 1:57:58 in a hypothetical subject with a VO2max of 84 ml.kg-1.min-1, a lactate threshold of 85% of VO2max, and exceptional running economy. This analysis suggests that substantial improvements in marathon performance are "physiologically" possible or that current concepts regarding limiting factors in endurance running need additional refinement and empirical testing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
Jaroslava Chovancová ◽  
Martina Bernaciková ◽  
Jan Novotný ◽  
Tomáš Kalina ◽  
Miriam Kalichová

The purpose of this study was to compare running economy (by oxygen consumption) in long distance runners on three different surfaces (asphalt, cinder and tartan). Thirty Czech long distance runners (age: 25.1±4.3 years, height: 183.2±7.4 cm, body mass: 72.4±6.0 kg, BMI: 22.5±1.4 and VO2 max: 65.8±5.2 ml∙min∙kg-1) participated in this study. We measured oxygen uptake by wireless, portable cardiopulmonary stress testing system (Oxygen Mobile, Viasys) on each surface during running at speeds: 10, 12, 14 and 16 km∙h-1. Differences of oxygen uptake were assessed statistically using parametric ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey HSD test. We found significant differences between asphalt and cinder for 12, 14 and 16 km∙h-1. Differences of average values of oxygen uptake on tartan at 10 km∙h-1:35.2±2.8 ml∙min∙kg-1; 12 km∙h-1: 41.0±3.4 ml∙min∙kg-1; 14 km∙h-1: 47.8±4.2 ml∙min∙kg-1a 16 km∙h-1: 54.2±4.9 ml∙min∙kg-1; on cinder at 10 km∙h-1: 36.2±3.6 ml∙min∙kg-1; 12 km∙h-1: 42.5±3.9 ml∙min∙kg-1; 14 km∙h-1: 49.5±5.4 ml∙min∙kg-1a 16 km∙h-1: 56.1±6.8 ml∙min∙kg-1 and on asphalt at 10 km∙h-1: 35.0±3.7 ml∙min∙- kg-1; 12 km∙h-1: 39.8±4.0 ml∙min∙kg-1; 14 km∙h-1: 46.3±5.1 ml∙min∙kg-1a 16 km∙h-1 : 53.5±4.8 ml∙min∙kg-1. The lowest values of oxygen uptake were found on asphalt surface. The asphalt is probably the most favorable surface according to energetic aspect.


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