AUTHOR=Støren Øyvind , Helgerud Jan , Johansen Jan-Michael , Gjerløw Lars-Erik , Aamlid Aanund , Støa Eva Maria 

TITLE=Aerobic and Anaerobic Speed Predicts 800-m Running Performance in Young Recreational Runners

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.672141

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2021.672141

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>The main aim was to investigate the impact of maximal aerobic speed (MAS), maximal anaerobic speed (MANS), and time to exhaustion (TTE) at 130% MAS, on 800-m running time performance (800TT). A second aim was to investigate the impact of anaerobic speed reserve (ASR), i.e., the relative difference between MAS and MANS, on TTE. A total of 22 healthy students classified as recreational runners participated in a cross-sectional study. They were tested for maximal oxygen consumption (VO<sub>2max</sub>), oxygen cost of running (C<sub>R</sub>), time performance at 100 m (100TT), time performance at 800 m (800TT), and TTE. MAS was calculated as VO<sub>2max</sub> × C<sub>R</sub><sup>–1</sup>, and MANS was calculated as 100TT velocity. Both MAS and MANS correlated individually with 800TT (<italic>r</italic> = –0.74 and –0.67, respectively, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and the product of MAS and MANS correlated strongly (<italic>r</italic> = –0.82, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) with 800TT. TTE did not correlate with 800TT. Both ASR and % MANS correlated strongly with TTE (<italic>r</italic> = 0.90 and –0.90, respectively, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). These results showed that 800TT was first and foremost dependent on MAS and MANS, and with no impact from TTE. It seemed that TTE was merely a product of each runner’s individual ASR. We suggest a simplified model of testing and training for 800TT, namely, by focusing on VO<sub>2max</sub>, C<sub>R</sub>, and short sprint velocity, i.e., MAS and MANS.</p>