The relationship between vLTP and vVO2max during an incremental test to exhaustion in professional endurance runners

The minimal running velocity at which maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) is elicited during an incremental test to exhaustion has been used to prescribe training for competitive middle- and long-distance runners. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between velocity at lactate turnpoint (vLTP) and vVO_2max in long-distance runners. For this purpose 11 highly trained endurance runners were selected randomly from the national team. The average age, height and mass of the subjects were 24.36±1.1 years, 1.73±0.02 m and 63.25±21 kg respectively. The first test was used to determine vVO_2max and VO_2max (a continuous run to exhaustion with the start velocity at 10 km/h and the velocity increased 1 km/h per minute). The second test was used to determine vLTP (start velocity was 10 km/h and velocity increased 1 km/h for 4 min to reach lactate concentration over 5 mmol/l). The average VO_2max and vVO_2max of subjects were 58.54±2.8 ml/kg/min and 19±0.29 km/h respectively. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and SPSS 12 software were used for analysing data. There was a positive moderate correlation between vLTP and vVO_2max (p=0.037, r=0.63). This study may indicate that, the more the athlete is capable of delaying the accumulation of his/her lactate, and the higher the velocity at which the accumulation takes place, the higher vVO_2max he/she can have. On the other hand, coaches can design training programmes at vVO_2max intensity to promote a higher vLTP.