Relationship between 800-m Running Performance and Aerobic and Anaerobic Energy Metabolism Capacities in Well-Trained Middle-Distance Runners

Abstract

1 The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the 800-m running 2 performance and aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism capacities in well-trained 3 middle-distance runners. This study was conducted on 12 male middle-distance runners 4 (age 19.7 ± 0.9 years, height 170.0 ± 4.6 cm, body weight 58.9 ± 3.0 kg, body fat 7.8% 5 ± 1.2%, 800-m season best time 1′53″2 ± 2″2 and equivalent to an average velocity of 6 25.4 ± 0.4 km·h −1 over 800 m). Participants underwent three running tests on a treadmill 7 to assess aerobic (maximal oxygen uptake [V ． O2max], lactate threshold intensity [LTI], 8 running economy [RE]) and anaerobic (maximal accumulated oxygen deficit [MAOD] 9 and maximal accumulation blood lactate concentration [ΔbLa]) energy metabolism 10 capacities. The results demonstrated a significantly negative relationship between the 11 800-m running velocity and RE and MAOD (r = −0.78 and −0.72, respectively), but not 12 with V ． O2max, LTI, and ΔbLa (r = −0.16, −0.17 and 0.11, respectively). Furthermore, 13 this study demonstrated that >70% of the 800-m running velocity could be explained by 14 RE, LTI, and ΔbLa. These results suggest that RE affects the 800-m running 15 performance in well-trained runners. 16 17