Economy During a Simulated Laboratory Test Triathlon is Highly Related to Olympic Distance Triathlon

This study examined the relationship between Olympic distance triathlon (swim over 1.5 km, cycle over 40.0 krm, and run over 10.0 km) and economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Seventeen male triathletes conducted bothi maximal exercise tests and simulated laboratory triathlon. The latter test consisted of swimming (S), cycling (C) and running (R) stages as a continuous task using a flume-pool, a cycle ergormeter and a treadmill, respectively. The exercise intensity and duration were 60 % of VO₂max during swimming, cycling and running for 30, 75 and 45 min, respectively. The index of economy was determined by the % VO₂max at the last min of each stage during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Results indicated that Olympic distance triathlon (total time) was correlated to swimming-VO₂max (r = - 0.621, p < 0.001), cycling-VO₂max (r = - 0.873, p < 0.001), running-VO₂max (r = - 0.891, p < 0.001), S-Economy (r = 0.208, ns), C-Economy (r = 0.601, p < 0.001) and R-Economy (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). There were also sign ificant correlations between swimming time and swimmimg-VO₂max (r = - 0.648, p < 0.01), between cycling time and cycling-VO₂max (r = - 0.819, p < 0.001), between running time and running-VO₂max (r = - 0.726, p < 0.001), between swimming time and S-Economy (r = 0.550, p < 0.05), between cycling time and C-Economy (r = 0.613, p < 0.01), and between running time and R-Economy (r = 0.548, p < 0.05). These results demonstrated that the larger VO₂max during maximal exercise tests and smaller increment of VO₂ during a simulated laboratory test triathlon indicating good economy were good predictors to determine the Olympic distance triathlon.

Key words

Triathlon - VO₂max - economy - simulated laboratory/test of triathlon