ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2022 January-February;181(1-2):1-7

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.04202-5

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Distance running performance and physiological variables in highly trained female distance runners

Fumiya TANJI ^{1, 2} ✉, Toshiki TSUJI ², Wataru SHIMAZU ², Yoshiharu NABEKURA ³

¹ Sport Medical Science Research Institute, Tokai University, Hiratsuka-shi, Japan; ² Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan; ³ Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the association of running performance with physical variables as well as aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism capacities in highly trained female distance runners who specialize in track-event competitions (800-10,000 m).
METHODS: 26 female distance runners (age, 20.3±1.9 years; height, 161.1±4.2 cm; body mass, 46.9±4.7 kg; Body Mass Index [BMI], 18.0±1.4 kg·m⁻²; and seasonal best performance, mean International Association of Athletics Federations [IAAF] Score of 995.2±81.0 points). Participants underwent multi-incremental running tests on a treadmill to assess maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), lactate threshold intensity (LTI), running economy at intensity below (REbLT), running economy near (REnLT) and running economy above the lactate threshold (REaLT) as well as maximal blood lactate concentration (Lamax).
RESULTS: The results demonstrated a significant relationship of the IAAF Score with REbLT, REnLT and Lamax (r=−0.52, −0.57 and 0.40, respectively); however, the IAAF Score was not significantly related to REaLT, BMI, VO2max and LTI (r=−0.33, −0.35, 0.32 and 0.03, respectively). We also found that 76.8% of the IAAF Score could be explained by REbLT, Lamax and VO2max. However, REbLT was significantly related to VO2max (r=0.44).
CONCLUSIONS: The running performance of highly trained female runners is associated with REbLT and Lamax; further, >70% of the running performance can be explained by REbLT, Lamax and VO2max. However, REbLT is observed an inverse relationship with VO2max. On the other hand, REaLT is not associated with running performance.

KEY WORDS: Running; Lactates; Oxygen; Body Mass Index; Exercise test