Physiological Measures Associated with Marathon Running Performance in High-Level Male and Female Homogeneous Groups

Abstract

The study tested the hypothesis that physiological measurements can predict marathon running performance in a top-level homogeneous group of males and females. Ten male, performance: 2 : 12 : 04, coefficient of variation (CV) = 2.33 %, and 8 female marathon runners, performance: 2 : 34 : 53, CV = 4.54 %, performed an increment test on the treadmill (starting speed, 8 km · h^-1; increments, 2 km · h^-1; increment duration, 3 min to exhaustion). The heart rate (HR), V·O₂ and the lactate concentrations were measured at the end of each exercise level. During the recovery time, HR and lactate were measured. Furthermore, echocardiographic, anthropometric and haematologic measurements were made. The results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis using marathon time as the dependent variable yielded R² = 0.983 for the male group and R² = 0.984 for the female group. The model for the male group used the independent variables lactate value at 10 km · h^-1, left ventricular telediastolic diameter (LVD) and lactate value at 22 km · h^-1. The model for the female group used the independent variables subscapular skinfold, serum ferritin and sum of six skinfolds. Our study demonstrates that in males and females, physiological parameters can explain the variance in marathon time among elite homogeneous groups.

Long distance - runners - gender - echocardiographic - anthropometric - haematologic - V·O_2max - anaerobic threshold

References

• 1 Ashenden M, Martin D, Dobson G, Mackintosh C, Hahn A. Serum ferritin and anemia in trained female athletes.  Int J Sport Nutr. 1998;  8 223-229
• 2 Becque M, Katch L, Moffatt J. Time course of skin-plus-fat compression in males and females.  Hum Biol. 1986;  58 33-42
• 3 Billat V, Demarle A, Slawinski J, Paiva M, Koralsztein J. Physical and training characteristics of top-class marathon runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;  33 2089-2097
• 4 Blomqvist G, Saltin B. Cardiovascular adaptations to physical training.  Ann Rev Physiol. 1983;  45 169-189
• 5 Brandon J, Boileau A. Influence of metabolic, mechanical and physique variables on middle distance running.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1992;  32 1-9
• 6 Bransford D, Howley. Oxygen cost of running in trained and untrained men and women.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 1977;  9 41-44
• 7 Christensen L, Rughling O. Physical characteristics of novice and experienced women marathon runners.  Br J Sports Med. 1983;  17 166-171
• 8 Conley D, Krahenbuhl G. Running economy and distance running performance of highly trained athletes.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 1980;  12 357-360
• 9 Costill D. Inside Running. Basics of Sports Physiology. Indianapolis; Benchmark Press, Inc 1986: 37-39
• 10 Costill D. Physiology of marathon running.  JAMA. 1972;  221 1024-1029
• 11 D'Andrea A, Limongelli G, Caso P, Sarubbi B, Della Pietra A, Brancaccio P, Cice G, Scherillo M, Limongelli F, Calabro R. Association between left ventricular structure and cardiac performance during effort in two morphological forms of athlete's heart.  Int J Cardiol. 2002;  86 177-184
• 12 Daniels J, Daniels N. Running economy of elite male and elite female runners.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 1992;  24 483-489
• 13 Davies C, Thompson M. Aerobic performance of female marathon and male ultramarathon athletes.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1979;  41 233-245
• 14 Deason J, Powers K, Lawler J, Ayers D, Stuart K. Physiological correlates to 800 meter running performance.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1991;  31 499-504
• 15 Di Prampero P. The energy cost of human locomotion on land and in water.  Int J Sports Med. 1986;  7 55-72
• 16 Farrel P, Wilmore J, Coyle E, Billings J, Costill D. Plasma lactate accumulation and distance running performance.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 1979;  11 338-344
• 17 Florence S, Weir J. Relationship of critical velocity to marathon running performance.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1997;  75 274-278
• 18 Fohrenbach R, Mader A, Hollmann W. Determination of endurance capacity and prediction of exercice intensities for training and competition in marathon runners.  Int J Sports Med. 1987;  8 11-18
• 19 Foster C, Daniels J, Yarbrough R. Physiological and training correlates of marathon running performance.  Aust J Sports Med. 1977;  9 58-61
• 20 Hagan R, Smith M, Gettman L. Marathon performance in relation to maximal aerobic power and training indices.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 1981;  13 185-189
• 21 Hartung G, Squires W. Physiological measures and marathon running performance in young and middle-aged males.  J Sports Med Phyis Fit. 1982;  22 366-370
• 22 Hoogsteen J, Hoogeveen A, Schaffers H, Wijn F, van Hemel M, van der Wall E. Myocardial adaptation in different endurance sports: an echocardiographic study.  Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2004;  20 19-26
• 23 Kenney L, Hodgson L. Variables predictive of performance in elite middle-distance runners.  Br J Sport Med. 1985;  19 207-209
• 24 Maughan J, Leiper B. Aerobic capacity and fractonal utilisation of aerobic capacity in elite and non-elite male and female marathon runners.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1983;  52 80-87
• 25 Nacthigall D, Nielsen P, Fisher R. Iron deficiency in distance runners: a reinvestigation using 59Fe-labelling and non-invasive liver iron quantification.  Int J Sport Med. 1996;  17 473-479
• 26 Nagashima J, Musha H, Takada H, Murayama M. New upper limit of physiologic cardiac hypertrophy in Japanese participants in the 100-km ultramarathon.  J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;  42 1617-1623
• 27 Nielsen P, Nachtigall D. Iron supplementation in athletes. Current recommendations.  Sports Med. 1998;  26 207-216
• 28 Noakes T, Gibson A. Logical limitations to the “catastrophe” models of fatigue during exercise in humans.  Br J Sports Med. 2004;  38 1-30
• 29 Noakes T, Myburgh K, Schall R. Peak treadmill running velocity during the VO_2max test predicts running performance.  J Sports Sci. 1990;  8 35-45
• 30 Pelliccia A, Barry J, Maron D, Spataro A, Proschan M, Spirito P. The upper limit of physiologic cardiac hypertrophy in highly trained elite athletes.  N Engl J Med. 1991;  324 295-301
• 31 Pollock L, Wilmore H, Fox M. Exercise in Health & Disease. Philadelphia; W. B. Saunders Company 1984
• 32 Roecker K, Schotte O, Niess M, Horstmann T, Dickhuth H. Predicting competition performance in long-distance running by means of a treadmill test.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998;  30 1552-1557
• 33 Sahn J, DeMaria A, Kisslo J, Weyman A. Recommendations regarding quantitation in M-mode echocardiography: results of a survey of echocardiographic measurements.  Circulation. 1978;  58 1072-1083
• 34 Scharhag J, Urhausen A, Kindermann W. Suggested new upper limit of physiologic cardiac hypertrophy determined in Japanese ultramarathon runners must be interpreted cautiously.  J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004;  44 470-471
• 35 Sjödin B, Jacobs I. Onset of blood lactate accumulation and marathon running performance.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 23-26
• 36 Sjodin B, Svedenhag J. Applied physiology of marathon running.  Sports Med. 1985;  2 83-99
• 37 Svedenhag J, Sjöedin B. Maximal and submaximal oxygen uptakes and blood lactate levels in elite male middle- and long-distance runners.  Int J Sports Med. 1984;  5 255-261
• 38 Tanaka K, Mimura K, Kim H, Kawabata T, Tajima M, Nakadomo F, Maeda K. Prerequisites in distance running performance of female runners.  Ann Physiol Anthropol. 1989;  8 79-87
• 39 Tanaka K, Matsuura Y. Marathon performance, anaerobic threshold and onset of blood lactate accumulation.  J Appl Physiol. 1984;  57 640-643