Dw. Morgan et al., VARIATION IN THE AEROBIC DEMAND OF RUNNING AMONG TRAINED AND UNTRAINED SUBJECTS, Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 27(3), 1995, pp. 404-409
Variation in the aerobic demand (VO2) of submaximal running was quanti
fied among trained and untrained subjects stratified by performance ca
pability. Based on a retrospective analysis of seven published studies
, maximal aerobic power (VO2max), and submaximal VO2 values were analy
zed in three groups of trained distance runners (Category 1 (C1) (elit
e runners; N = 22), Category 2 (C2) (sub-elite runners; N = 41), and C
ategory 3 (C3) (good runners; N = 16), and one group (N = 10) of untra
ined subjects (Category 4; C4). Results indicated that VO2max differed
significantly (P < 0.05) across groups, such that C1 > C2 > C3 > C4.
Analysis of submaximal VO2 data also revealed that C4 was more unecono
mical than C1, C2 and C3 and that C2 and C3 were less economical than
C1. Average within-group variability in submaximal VO2 was similar acr
oss categories and a marked overlap of minimum, mean and maximal econo
my values existed across categories. These data suggest that 1) traine
d subjects are more economical than untrained subjects, 2) elite runne
rs display better economy compared to and 3) economical anduneconomica
l runners can be all performance categories.