Physiological Determinants of Time to Exhaustion during Intermittent Treadmill Running at vV·O_2max

Abstract

Previous studies have reported large between-subject variations in the time to exhaustion during intermittent running at the velocity at V·O_2max (vV·O_2max). This study aimed to determine which physiological factors contribute to this variability. Thirteen male runners (age 38.9 ± 8.7 years) each completed five treadmill running tests; two incremental tests to determine V·O_2max, vV·O_2max, the lactate threshold velocity (vLT) and the running velocity-V·O₂ relationship; the third test to determine the time to exhaustion during continuous running at vV·O_2max (t_limcont); the fourth to determine the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD); the fifth to determine the time to exhaustion during intermittent running at vV·O_2max (t_limint). Relief intervals during the intermittent test were run at 70 % vV·O_2max. The vLT‐vV·O_2max difference was significantly correlated with t_limint (r = - 0.70; p = 0.007). The correlation coefficient increased to r = - 0.83 (p < 0.001) when the difference between the relief interval velocity and the vLT was deducted from the vLT‐vV·O_2max difference (theoretically representing the net depletion of the MAOD during each work/relief interval cycle). The main finding of this study was that 49 % of the variance in t_limint was explained by the vLT‐vV·O_2max difference, compared to 74 % for t_limcont. However, a further 20 % of unique variance in t_limint could be explained with the inclusion of the relief interval velocity-vLT difference. Theoretically, runners with the largest relief interval velocity-vLT difference will replete their anaerobic capacity to a greater extent during each relief interval, thereby increasing time to exhaustion.

Fatigue - interval - model - training

References

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