Relationship between middle-distance running performance and powers estimated from blood lactate concentration during intermittent running

This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between power estimated by blood lactate movement during intermittent running test (Maximal Anaerobic Running Test : MART), and velocity of middle distance running (V 800 in, V 1500 m). The subjects were well-trained male middle-distance runners (n=8). MART consisted of a variable number of 20 seconds runs on a treadmill with a 100 seconds recovery period between runs. The runs were performed ona a 4degrees incline. After 40 second recovery, earlobe blood samples were taken and blood lactate concentrations were analyzed. The first run was performed at 250 m/min. Velocity of the treadmill was increased by 25 m/min for each consecutive run until volitional exhaustion. The power requirement associated with the absolute value of blood lactate (La) and relative value of peak blood lactate (PBLa) was determined from the La or %PBLa vs power curve by linear interpolation from the two consecutive La values which were above and below the desired value. Results were summarized as follows : 1Maximal power (Pmax) for MART was correlated positively with V 800 m (r=0.880, P<0.01) and V 1500 m (r=0.948, p<0.001). 2Power estimated at 40% value of PBLa (P40%La) correlated positively with V 1500 m (r=0.903, P<0.01), and at 60% value of PBLa (P60%La) was correlated positively with V 800 m (r=0.835, P<0.01) and V 1500 m (r=0.936, p<0.001). These results indicate that MART is a valid test for estimating middle distance running performance and P40%La, and P60%La are important indexes with 800-m and 1500-m running.