Estimation of Running Efficiency for Decathletes in Maximal Anaerobic Running Test

The present study was conducted to clarify the relationship between velocity estimated by blood lactate (La) movement during the maximal anaerobic running test (MART) and running performance in the decathlon (100-m, 400-m, and 1500-m running and total points for running: TPR). The subjects were all male decathletes (n=11). The MART consisted of a variable number of 20-s runs on a treadmill with a 100-s recovery between the runs. The runs were performed on a 4° incline. After a 40-s recovery period, earlobe blood samples were taken and La concentrations were analyzed. The first run was performed at 250 m/min. The velocity of the treadmill was increased by 25 m/min for each consecutive run until volitional exhaustion. The velocity associated with the absolute value of La (VALa; velocity at 3 mM, 5 mM and 10 mM) and the relative value (%PBLa) of peak La (VRLa; velocity at 20%, 40% and 60% of PBLa) were determined from the La or %PBLa vs velocity curve by linear interpolation from two consecutive La values above and below the desired value. The results can be summarized as follows. (1) Maximal velocity (Vmax) in the MART was positively correlated with 400-m running velocity (V400m; r=0.872, P