title: Determinants of performance in 1,500-m runners.
abstract: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between physiological variables (not previously studied) and performance in elite 1,500-m runners. We assessed eight male athletes with an average personal best time of 233.3 ± 6.9 s (110% of the world record) for the 1,500-m race. Ventilatory measurements, maximal oxygen consumption VO2max maximal vastus lateralis muscle deoxygenation (∆[deoxy(Hb+Mb)])max via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and maximal velocity (V (max)) were obtained during an incremental treadmill test. During subsequent constant-speed exercise at Vmax, we determined the time to exhaustion (Tlim), end-exercise blood lactate concentration ([La]b(max)), VO2 and ∆[deoxy(Hb+Mb)] kinetics parameters. The mean VO2max, [La]b(max) and Vmax were 70.2 ± 3.9 mL kg(-1) min(-1), 12.7 ± 2.4 mmol L(-1), 21.5 ± 0.5 km h(-1), respectively. VO2 at Vmax showed a significant negative correlation with Tlim, whereas [La]b(max) was positively correlated with Tlim. Race speed was found to significantly correlate with ∆[deoxy(Hb+Mb)](max) (79% of maximal value obtained during a transient limb ischemia), ∆[deoxy(Hb+Mb)] slow component (22.9 ± 9.3% of total amplitude) and [La]b(max) at Vmax. [La]b(max) at Vmax was also significantly correlated with ∆[deoxy(Hb+Mb)] slow component, suggesting a greater release of oxygen from the hemoglobin due to the Bohr effect. We conclude that both the maximal capacity of muscle to extract O2 from the blood and the end-exercise blood lactate accumulation are important predictors of best performance in 1,500-m runners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Physiology and Sport Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy. alessandra.ferri@unimib.it
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzorati
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miserocchi
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005080:Exercise Test; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018763:Muscle Fatigue; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D012420:Running; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D019344:Lactic Acid; C100003:deoxyhemoglobin