AUTHOR=Alvero-Cruz José Ramón , Parent Mathias Verónica , Garcia Romero Jerónimo , Carrillo de Albornoz-Gil Margarita , Benítez-Porres Javier , Ordoñez Francisco Javier , Rosemann Thomas , Nikolaidis Pantelis T. , Knechtle Beat 

TITLE=Prediction of Performance in a Short Trail Running Race: The Role of Body Composition

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01306

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2019.01306

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>The aim of the present study was to examine the role of the classical physiological model of endurance running performance – maximal oxygen uptake (VO<sub>2</sub>max), %VO<sub>2</sub>max at ventilatory thresholds (VT), work economy, lactate levels, and body composition on the prediction of short trail running performance. Eleven male trail runners (age 36.1 ± 6.5 years, sport experience 6.6 ± 3.8 years, and mean ± standard deviation) were examined for fat mass and skeletal muscle mass, and performed a graded exercise test to measure VO<sub>2</sub>max, vVO<sub>2</sub>max, and VT. Also, they participated in a short 27 km trail run with a positive elevation of +1750 m. Age, years of training and skeletal muscle mass did not correlate with race time (<italic>P</italic> &gt; 0.05), and fat mass and body mass index (BMI) showed significant correlations with race time (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Heart rate, velocity and VT1 and VT2 were not associated with race time (<italic>P</italic> &gt; 0.05). Only vVO<sub>2</sub>max (<italic>P</italic> = 0.005) and VO<sub>2</sub>max (<italic>P</italic> = 0.007) is correlated to race time. Multiple regression models for VO<sub>2</sub>max accounted for 57% of the total variance. The vVO<sub>2</sub>max model variable accounted for 60% and the fat mass model for 59.5%. Finally, the combined VO<sub>2</sub>max and fat mass model explained 83.9% of the total variance (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05 in all models). The equation for this model is “race time (min) = 203.9956−1.9001 × VO<sub>2</sub>max + 10.2816 × Fat mass%” (<italic>R</italic><sup>2</sup> = 0.839, SEE = 11.1 min, and <italic>P</italic> = 0.0007). The classical variable VO<sub>2</sub>max together with fat mass percent are two strong predictors for short trail running performance.</p>