Physiological determinants of speciality of elite middle- and long-distance runners

The aim of this study was to determine which physiological variables predict excellence in middle- and long-distance runners. Forty middle-distance runners (age 23 +/- 4 years, body mass 67.2 +/- 5.9kg, stature 1.80 +/- 0.05m, [Vdot]O2max 65.9 +/- 4.5ml center dot kg-1 center dot min-1) and 32 long-distance runners (age 25 +/- 4 years, body mass 59.8 +/- 5.1kg, stature 1.73 +/- 0.06m, [Vdot]O2max 71.6 +/- 5.0ml center dot kg-1 center dot min-1) competing at international standard performed an incremental running test to exhaustion. Expired gas analysis was performed breath-by-breath and maximum oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2max) and two ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) were calculated. Long-distance runners presented a higher [Vdot]O2max than middle-distance runners when expressed relative to body mass (P0.001, d=1.18, 95% CI [0.68, 1.68]). At the intensities corresponding to VT1 and VT2, long-distance runners showed higher values for [Vdot]O2 expressed relative to body mass or %[Vdot]O2max, speed and oxygen cost of running (P0.05). When oxygen uptake was adjusted for body mass, differences between groups were consistent. Logistic binary regression analysis showed that [Vdot]O2max (expressed as l center dot min-1 and ml center dot kg-1 center dot min-1), [Vdot]O2VT2 (expressed as ml center dot kg-0.94 center dot min-1), and speed at VT2 (vVT2) categorized long-distance runners. In addition, the multivariate model correctly classified 84.7% of the athletes. Thus, [Vdot]O2max, [Vdot]O2VT2, and vVT2 discriminate between elite middle-distance and long-distance runners.