Association between in-race physiological measures and middle-distance track running performance.

The purpose of the present research was to correlate selected physiological measures recorded during both track-running time trials of 400- to 3000-m and a laboratory graded exercise test (GXT) with respective event performance (time). Participants were trained male 3000-m (n=8), 1500-m (n=11), 800-m (n=9) and 400-m (n=11) track athletes, ranging in ability from club to national level. Physiological variables included breath-by-breath O2 peak (GXT), peak time trial O2, treadmill velocity associated with O2 peak (v- O2 peak), peak post-trial blood lactate concentration, accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD), % anaerobic energy contribution and speed of the O2 response ('1). Results indicated that 3000-m performance was correlated with v- O2 peak (r= -0.89, p<0.05), while O2 peak, peak trial O2 and '1 were correlated with 1500-m performance (r = -0.69, -0.68 and 0.71 p<0.05). No other physiological parameters showed any association (p>0.05) with respective event performance. In conclusion, while no single physiological measure was universally associated with event performance in all events, some individual measures did correlate with respective event performances. These results may have implications for training to improve middle-distance track running performance.