Ventilatory threshold and mechanical efficiency in endurance runners

Summary

In order to evaluate changes in parameters at the ventilatory threshold (VT) and in mechanical efficiency (ME) during training in the years 1982 and 1983 we tested seven top-class endurance runners on a treadmill. The VT and ME were assessed during their training period (January 1982 and 1983) and during their competitive period (March and July 1982). The maximal functional variables were almost constant during the training year, the maximal change in$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2}} {\text{max}}} }$ being about 5%. Similarly,$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$ at the VT was almost constant; the maximal change in$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$ at VT was also about 5%. Substantially greater changes, about 10%, were recorded in the velocity of running at the VT, at which the maximum was attained in July (18.9±0.8 km·h⁻¹ or 5.25±0.22 m·s⁻¹); this value was significantly higher than values assessed during the remaining tests. The greatest change, about 23%, during the training year was found in ME, for which the maximum was attained in July (35.7%±2.1%). This was not significantly different from the value recorded in March (34.5%±3.3%), but both values were significantly higher than those recorded during the training period. We can therefore conclude that in highly trained endurance runners the times needed to attain the optimal conditions for sports performance differ from the point of view of special speed training and from the point of view of mechanical-metabolic readiness.