PERCENT UTILIZATION OF (V) over dotO2MAX AT 5-KM COMPETITION VELOCITY DOES NOT DETERMINE TIME PERFORMANCE AT 5 KM AMONG ELITE DISTANCE RUNNERS

Stoa, EM, Storen, O, Enoksen, E, and Ingjer, F. Percent utilization of (V) over dotO(2)max at 5-km competition velocity does not determine time performance at 5 km among elite distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 24( 5): 1340-1345, 2010-The present study investigated to what extent maximum oxygen uptake ((V) over dotO(2)max) and fractional utilization (%(V) over dotO(2)max) in 5-km competition speed correlate with 5-km performance times among elite long distance runners. Eight elite long distance runners with 5-km performance times of 15.10 minutes (+/- 32 seconds) were tested for (V) over dotO(2)max during an incremental protocol and for %(V) over dotO(2)max during an 8-minute treadmill test at the velocity representing their 5-km seasonal best performance time. There was no correlation between fractional utilization and 5-km performance. The study showed no significant difference between (V) over dotO(2)max obtained during an incremental (V) over dotO(2)max test and %(V) over dotO(2)max when running for 8 minutes at the runner's individual 5-km competition speed. The 5-km time was related to the runner's (V) over dotO(2)max even in a homogenous high-level performance group. In conclusion, the present study found no relationship between fractional utilization and 5-km performance time. Training aiming to increase %(V) over dotO(2)max may thus be of little or no importance in performance enhancement for competitions lasting up to approximately 20 minutes.