Effects of interindividual variation, state of training, and prolonged work on running economy

• Main Authors: JE Bula, EC Rhodes, RH Langill, AW Sheel, JE Taunton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Termedia Publishing House 2008-09-01
• Series: Biology of Sport
• Subjects: Training; ventilatory threshold; Efficiency
• Online Access: http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/fulltxt.php?ICID=890313

The purpose of this study was to examine running economy differences between a group of well-trained runners and a group of non-runners. A secondary objective was to ascertain the effects of a prolonged run, near the ventilatory threshold, on running economy. Two groups of ten males [Mean±SD: age 25.6±4.8 yrs, 70.9±6.3 ml•kg-1•min-1 for the runners; age 20.6±2.3 yrs, 51.5±1.9 ml•kg-1•min-1 for the non-runners] performed 2 running economy tests (speeds = 2.68 m•s-1 and near Tvent) on 3 occasions prior to a prolonged run. Secondly, a prolonged run (maximum of 60 min) near the subject’s individual ventilatory threshold was performed and followed by 2 running economy tests at the same speeds. Despite the statistically significant difference in (p<0.05), the groups did not differ significantly in their running economy. As well, no statistically significant differences were found when running economy was measured as a function of distance (ml•kg-1•km-1) and when body mass was scaled to an exponent of 0.75 (ml•kg-0.75•min-1, ml•kg-0.75•km-1). The prolonged run had no statistically significant effects on the running economy of either group. The results from this study indicate, despite a marked difference in training status between the groups, there were no running economy differences. Further, the effects of a prolonged run near the ventilatory threshold were of insufficient duration and/or intensity to significantly perturb the running economy of either group.