• FAQ
• Product Catalog

Improved running economy in elite runners after 20 days of moderate simulated altitude exposure

Saunders PU, Telford RD, Pyne DB, Cunningham RB, Gore CJ, Hahn AG, Hawley JA.

J Appl Physiol. 2003 Nov [Epub ahead of print].

Abstract

To investigate the effect of altitude exposure on running economy (RE), 22 elite distance runners (VO2max 72.8 +/- 4.4 ml.min(-1).kg(-1); training volume 125 +/- 27 km.wk(-1)) homogenous for VO2max and training volume were assigned to one of three groups; live-high (simulated altitude 2000-3100 m) train-low (natural altitude 600 m; LHTL, n=10), live-moderate train-moderate (natural altitude 1500-2000 m; LMTM, n=10) or live-low train-low (natural altitude 600 m; LLTL, n=13) for a period of 20 d. RE was assessed during three sub-maximal treadmill runs at 14, 16 and 18 km.h(-1) prior to and at the completion of each intervention. O2 consumption (VO2), ventilation (VE), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate concentration [La] were determined during the final 60 s of each run, while haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) was measured on a separate occasion. VO2 (L.min(-1)) averaged across the three sub-maximal running speeds was 3.3% lower (p=0.005), after LHTL compared with either LMTM or LLTL. VE, RER, HR and Hbmass were not significantly different after the three interventions. There was no evidence of an increase in [La] after the LHTL intervention suggesting that the lower aerobic cost of running was not attributable to an increased anaerobic energy contribution. Furthermore, the improved RE could not be explained by a decrease in VE, by preferential use of carbohydrate as a metabolic substrate, nor was it related to any change in Hbmass. We conclude that 20 d LHTL at simulated altitude improved the RE of elite distance runners.