@article{Lee_Snyder_Lundstrom_2020, title={Effects of marathon training on maximal aerobic capacity and running economy in experienced marathon runners}, volume={15}, url={https://www.jhse.ua.es/article/view/2020-v15-n1-marathon-training-maximal-aerobic-capacity-running-e}, DOI={10.14198/jhse.2020.151.08}, abstractNote={<p>Maximal aerobic capacity (VO<sub>2max</sub>) and running economy (RE) are markers of running performance. A valid evaluation of RE may occur through allometric scaling of body mass (alloVO<sub>2</sub>; ml kg<sup>-0.66</sup> min<sup>-1</sup>), energy cost (EC; kcal kg<sup>-1</sup> km<sup>-1</sup>), or percent of VO<sub>2max</sub> (%VO<sub>2max</sub>). Little is known about physiological changes that occur in competitive runners over a marathon training cycle. The VDOT score, incorporating VO<sub>2max</sub> and RE, enables comparison of race performances under different temperature conditions. This study’s purpose was to determine whether VO<sub>2max</sub> and measures of RE change with marathon training, and to evaluate the relationship between these variables and VDOT. Eight runners (age 34±2 years; marathon <3:00 males, <3:30 females; five females) completed treadmill marathon-intensity-effort (MIE) and VO<sub>2max</sub> tests at 10 and 1-2 weeks pre-marathon. Body composition (%BF) was determined using hydrostatic weighing. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-training values. The alpha level for significance was set at 0.05. Body fat decreased from 18.7±1.5% to 16.7±1.6%, VO<sub>2max</sub> increased from 51.6±2.4 to 63.9±1.1 ml kg<sup>-1</sup> min<sup>-1</sup>, and %VO<sub>2max</sub> during the MIE decreased from 82.1±2.0 to 72.3±3.2% (p < 0.05 for all). VDOT was significantly associated with alloVO<sub>2</sub> (r = -0.779, p = 0.039) but not with VO<sub>2max</sub> (r = 0.071, p = 0.867). Experienced competitive runners may increase VO<sub>2max</sub> and decrease %BF after a marathon-specific training cycle. The decrease in %VO<sub>2max</sub> in a MIE is likely due to a higher VO<sub>2max</sub>, as other measures of RE did not change significantly. In this cohort, alloVO<sub>2</sub> was negatively correlated with race performance.</p>}, number={1}, journal={Journal of Human Sport and Exercise}, author={Lee, Emma J. and Snyder, Eric M. and Lundstrom, Christopher J.}, year={2020}, month={Mar.}, pages={79–93} }