Effects of Two Years of Running Training on Maximum Oxygen Uptake and Running Speed

The training effects on maximum oxygen uptake (maxVO2) and performance (running speed of 5000m run) were investigated on twenty-five long distance runners, member of two university track teams. Subjects were divided into three groups based on their initial abilities with respect to maximum oxygen uptake per body weight (maxV02/wt) and running speed of 5000m run. Maximum oxygen uptake was determined by Douglas bag method with progressive treadmill running. Running speed was determined in terms of the best record in official races of 5000m. As the results, the superior initial value subjects group 1 did not increase in maxVO2/wt. Subjects in group 2 and 3, whose initial capacity of maxVO2 and performance were relatively low, showed statistically significant increase in maxVO2/wt. For all subject, significant negative correlation (r = -0.77) was detected between increment of maxVO2/wt and its initial value. The running speed of 5000m run did not improve in group 1. On the other hand, subjects in group 2 and 3 were found significant improve in running speed. For all subject, significant negative correlation (r = - 0.55) was found between the initial running speed and the improvement running speed. The resultant vector of increment of maxVO2/wt and running speed in group 2 and 3 were approximately in parallel with the regression line in our previous study (21). These results suggests that maxVO2/wt as a physical resources plays a main factor to determine the running speed. It appears that the effects of training on maxVO2 affter puberty is distinctive in the subjects with lower initial value of pretraining.