The relationship of aerobic and anaerobic power to distance running performance

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of various measures of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism to 10 km run time. Subjects were 14 trained and experienced female distance runners whose mean (± SD) age, mass, percent body fat, and V̇O₂ max were 31.3 ± 2.8 yr, 58.5 ± 6.7 kg, 17.5 ± 3.9 percent, and 48.9 ± 4.9 ml.min^-1.kg^-1 respectively. Results indicated that ventilation threshold (V(T)), velocity at V̇O₂ max (vV̇O₂ max), V̇O₂max, 50 m sprint time, and peak knee extension torque at 400 deg.sec^-1 were significantly correlated with 10 km run time (p ≤ .05). Stepwise multiple regression indicated that V(T) was the strongest single predictor explaining 48% of the variance while 50 m sprint time increased the explained variance to 67.2% (SEE = 1.40 min). The regression equation developed was: Y' = 48.65 - .270 (V(T) ml.min^-1.kg^-1 + .90 (50 m in sec). The results of this investigation provide evidence that distance running performance may be attributed to individual variables such as V(T) and anaerobic power as measured by a 50 m sprint. Therefore, some measure(s) of anaerobic power in combination with endurance variables should be included in predicting distance running performance from a regression equation. It is concluded that a combination of aerobic and anaerobic factors (V(T) and 50 m sprint time, respectively) best explain the variance in 10 km run time.