Abstract
The relationships between anaerobic glycolysis and average velocity (ν) sustained during sprint running were studied in 12 national level male sprinters. A blood sample was obtained within 3 min of the completion of semi-finals and finals in the 100-m and 200-m Cameroon national championships and blood lactate concentration ([la−]b) was measured. The 35-m times were video-recorded. The 100-m and 200-m [la−]b were 8.5 (SD 0.8) and 10.3 (SD 0.8) mmol·l−1, respectively. These were not correlated with the performances. Over 200 m [la−]b was correlated with the ν sustained over the last 165 m (r=0.65,P<0.05). In the 9 athletes who participated in both the 100-m and 200-m races, the difference between the [la−]b measured at the end of the two races was negatively correlated to the difference in v sustained over the two races (r=0.76,P>0.02). Energy expenditure during sprint running was estimated from the [la−]b values. This estimate was mainly based on the assumption that a 1 mmol·l−1 increase in [la−]b corresponds to the energy produced by the utilization of 3.30 ml O2·kg−1. The energy cost of running was estimated at 0.275 (SD 0.02) ml O2·kg−1·m−1 over 200-m and 0.433 (SD 0.03) ml O2·kg−1·m−1 over 100-m races. These results would suggest that at the velocities studied anaerobic glycolysis contributes to at least 55% of the energy expenditure related to sprint running. However, the influence of both mechanical factors and the contribution of other energy processes obscure the relationship between [la−]b and performance.
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Hautier, C.A., Wouassi, D., Arsac, L.M. et al. Relationships between postcompetition blood lactate concentration and average running velocity over 100-m and 200-m races. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 68, 508–513 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599521
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599521