Longitudinal associations between anaerobic threshold and distance running performance

Abstract

Longitudinal alterations in anaerobic threshold (AT) and distance running performance were assessed three times within a 4-month period of intensive training, using 20 male, trained middle-distance runners (19-23 yr). A major effect of the high intensity regular intensive training together with 60- to 90-min AT level running training (2 d X wk-1) was a significant increase in the amount of O2 uptake corresponding to AT (VO2 AT; ml O2 X min-1 X kg-1) and in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; ml O2 X min-1 X kg-1). Both VO2 AT and VO2max showed significant correlations (r = -0.69 to -0.92 and r = -0.60 to -0.85, respectively) with the 10,000 m run time in every test. However, further analyses of the data indicate that increasing VO2 AT (r = -0.63, P less than 0.05) rather than VO2max (r = -0.15) could result in improving the 10,000 m race performance to a larger extent, and that the absolute amount of change (delta) in the 10,000 m run time is best accounted for by a combination of delta VO2 AT and delta 5,000 m run time. Our data suggest that, among runners not previously trained over long distances, training-induced alterations in AT in response to regular intensive training together with AT level running training may contribute significantly to the enhancement of AT and endurance running performance, probably together with an increase in muscle respiratory capacity.

The Effect of High- vs. Low-Intensity Training on Aerobic Capacity in Well-Trained Male Middle-Distance Runners

“…This indicates that specific training close to the LT will result in favorable improvements of the vLT. Similar results were found in the literature (5,34). In this study, the improvement in vLT could not be caused by improvement in VO2max as there was no notable improvement in VO2max (Table 1).…”

A comparison of respiratory compensation thresholds of anaerobic competitors, aerobic competitors and untrained subjects

“…Studies have shown that threshold expressed as a percent of _ V V O 2max can continue to increase after training-induced changes in the _ V V O 2max plateau (Davis et al 1979;Denis et al 1982;Gaesser et al 1984;Poole and Gaesser 1985;Tanaka et al 1986), demonstrating the relative independence of the two measures. Because different adaptations are responsible for _ V V O 2max and threshold changes (Denis et al 1982;Hurley et al 1984;Sjodin et al 1982;Weltman et al 1992), endurance training may bring about elevations in _ V V O 2max without threshold reaching full potential.…”

“…Because mechanisms altering _ V V O 2max and various threshold values may be different (Davis et al 1979;Denis et al 1982;Gaesser et al 1984;Hurley et al 1984;Poole and Gaesser 1985;Sjodin et al 1982;Tanaka et al 1986;Weltman et al 1992), stimuli prompting such changes may also differ. In general, central cardiorespiratory adaptations produce changes in _ V V O 2max , while peripheral adaptations bring about threshold changes (Denis et al 1982;Hurley et al 1984;Sjodin et al 1982;Weltman et al 1992).…”

Relationships of Heart Disease Risk Factors to Exercise Quantity and Intensity

“…28 Ten-kilometer race performance times are correlated strongly with maximum oxygen uptake 9,29-31 and blood lactate threshold. 9,10,29,30,32 Marathon performance time is also related to maximum oxygen uptake. 22,33,34 During a marathon, faster runners work at an intensity requiring 75% of their maximum oxygen uptake, whereas the intensity of slower runners is at only 60%.…”