title: Economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon is highly related to Olympic distance triathlon.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between Olympic distance triathlon (swim over 1.5 km, cycle over 40.0 km, and run over 10.0 km) and economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Seventeen male triathletes conducted both 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 ergometer 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 significant correlations between swimming time and swimming-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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, University of Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishiko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005544:Forecasting; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors