The individual anaerobic threshold combined with training history and anthropometric data strongly correlated with mean competition speed (r = 0.953-0.968).
Cross-Sectional (n=427)
Does a treadmill test measuring individual anaerobic threshold and other parameters predict competition performance in long-distance runners?
Treadmill testing to determine individual anaerobic threshold, combined with training and anthropometric data, accurately predicts long-distance running competition performance.
Effect estimate: r = 0.953-0.968
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the power of 16 parameters beside the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) in predicting performance in various competition distances. METHODS: This study examined 427 competitive runners to test the prediction probability of the IAT and other parameters for various running distances. All runners (339 men, 88 women; ages, 32.5 +/- 10.14 yr; training, 7.1 +/- 5.53 yr; training distance, 77.9 +/- 35.63 km.wk-1) performed an increment test on the treadmill (starting speed, 6 or 8 km.h-1; increments, 2 km.h-1; increment duration, 3 min to exhaustion). The heart rate (HR) and the lactate concentrations in hemolyzed whole blood were measured at rest and at the end of each exercise level. The IAT was defined as the running speed at a net increase in lactate concentration 1.5 mmol.L-1 above the lactate concentration at LT. RESULTS: Significant correlations (r = 0.88-0.93) with the mean competition speed were found for the competition distances and could be increased using stepwise multiple regression (r = 0.953-0.968) with a set of additional parameters from the training history, anthropometric data, or the performance diagnostics. CONCLUSIONS: The running speed at a defined net lactate increase thus produces an increasing prediction accuracy with increasing distance. A parallel curve of the identity straight lines with the straight lines of regression indicates the independence of at least a second independent performance determining factor.
Röecker et al. (1998) conducted a cross-sectional in Competitive runners (n=427). Individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and training/anthropometric parameters was evaluated on Correlation with mean competition speed (r = 0.953-0.968). The individual anaerobic threshold combined with training history and anthropometric data strongly correlated with mean competition speed (r = 0.953-0.968).