Relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and oxygen uptake attained during treadmill middle-distance running

Abstract

Traditionally, it has been assumed that during middle-distance running oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O₂) reaches its maximal value ([Vdot]O_2max) providing the event is of a sufficient duration; however, this assumption is largely based on observations in individuals with a relatively low [Vdot]O_2max. The aim of this study was to determine whether [Vdot]O_2max is related to the [Vdot]O₂ attained (i.e. [Vdot]O_2peak) during middle-distance running on a treadmill. Fifteen well-trained male runners (age 23.3 ± 3.8 years, height 1.80 ± 0.10 m, body mass 76.9 ± 10.6 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. The participants undertook two 800-m trials to examine the reproducibility of the [Vdot]O₂ response. These two trials, together with a progressive test to determine [Vdot]O_2max, were completed in a randomized order. Oxygen uptake was determined throughout each test using 15-s Douglas bag collections. Following the application of a 30-s rolling average, the highest [Vdot]O₂ during the progressive test (i.e. [Vdot]O_2max) was compared with the highest [Vdot]O₂ during the 800-m trials (i.e. [Vdot]O_2peak) to examine the relationship between [Vdot]O_2max and the [Vdot]O₂ attained in the 800-m trials. For the 15 runners, [Vdot]O_2max was 58.9 ± 7.1 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹. Two groups were formed using a median split based on [Vdot]O_2max. For the high and low [Vdot]O_2max groups, [Vdot]O_2max was 65.7 ± 3.0 and 52.4 ± 1.8 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ respectively. The limits of agreement (95%) for test – retest reproducibility for the [Vdot]O₂ attained during the 800-m trials were ± 3.5 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ for a [Vdot]O_2peak of 50.6 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ (the mean [Vdot]O_2peak for the low [Vdot]O_2max group) and ± 2.3 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ for a [Vdot]O_2peak of 59.0 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ (the mean [Vdot]O_2peak for the high [Vdot]O_2max group), with a bias in [Vdot]O_2peak between the 800-m runs (i.e. the mean difference) of 1.2 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹. The [Vdot]O_2peak for the 800-m runs was 54.8 ± 4.9 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ for all 15 runners. For the high and low [Vdot]O_2max groups, [Vdot]O_2peak was 59.0 ± 3.3 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ (i.e. 90%[Vdot]O_2max) and 50.6 ± 2.0 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹ (i.e. 97%[Vdot]O_2max) respectively. The negative relationship (−0.77) between [Vdot]O_2max and %[Vdot]O_2max attained for all 15 runners was significant (P = 0.001). These results demonstrate that (i) reproducibility is good and (ii) that [Vdot]O_2max is related to the %[Vdot]O_2max achieved, with participants with a higher [Vdot]O_2max achieving a lower %[Vdot]O_2max in an 800-m trial on a treadmill.

Keywords:

• Maximal oxygen uptake
• peak oxygen uptake
• middle-distance running