The Dmax is Highly Related to Performance in Middle-Aged Females

The present study examined whether the running speed at the lactate threshold estimated by the maximal deviation method (LT (Dmax)) is highly correlated and in agreement with 10-km road race performance (S (10 km)) in middle-aged female runners. Additionally, the LT (Dmax) was compared with the visual detection of the inflection point (LT (Visual)), the fixed lactate level of 4 mmol.L (-1) (LT (4)) and the peak speed (S (peak)) in relation to performance. Sixteen middle-aged, recreational female runners performed a discontinuous, incremental treadmill test. The initial speed was set at 7 km.h (-1), and this speed was increased every 3 min by 1 km.h (-1) with a 30-s rest between the stages used for earlobe capillary blood sample collection. All of the participants took part in the same local 10-km road race, and S (10 km) mean speed was calculated. The speeds (mean ± SD) were 10.5 ± 1.0 (S (10 km)), 10.5 ± 1.0 (LT (Visual)), 10.9 ± 0.9 (LT (Dmax)), 11.4 ± 1.3 (LT (4)) and 13.5 ± 1.1 km.h (-1) (S (peak)). The LT (Dmax) had the narrowest limits of agreement (0.3 ± 0.4 km.h (-1)) and was the most highly correlated with the S (10 km) ( R=0.98), followed by the S (peak) ( R=0.95), LT (4) ( R=0.85) and LT (Visual) ( R=0.81). In conclusion, the LT (Dmax) should be more widely used to estimate long-distance performance and to verify improvements in training.