Responses of young female track athletes to exercise

Fifteen female track athletes, ages 12 to 18 years, were tested for maximum aerobic capacity and for their responses to a treadmill simulation of a standard track practice. The maximum oxygen uptake of the girls equalled or surpassed that reported previously for other young females. During the simulated practice session maximum physiological values equalled those attained during the maximum capacity tests. The two most strenuous events during practice were the 220 yard maximum speed runs and the 880 yard moderate speed endurance run. In spite of the differences in speed and distance, there were no significant differences between the two events in any physiological variable. The 440 yard warm-up jog resulted in significantly higher heart rates and oxygen uptake than the 100 yard striding runs, although there were no differences in ventilatory volumes. The use of regression equations to predict oxygen uptake from either heart rate or ventilation during simulated track events was unsatisfactory. It appears that this is due to the varying physiological demands of the events rather than intra-individual variability.