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Summary

Longitudinal alterations in anaerobic threshold (AT) and distance running performance were assessed three times within a 4-month period of intensive training, using 20 male, trained middle-distance runners (19–23 yr). A major effect of the high intensity regular intensive training together with 60- to 90-min AT level running training (2d ·wk −1) was a significant increase in the amount of O2 uptake corresponding to AT (\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) AT; ml O2 · min−1 · kg−1) and in maximal oxygen uptake (\(\dot V_{O_{_2 max} } \); ml O2 · min−1 · kg−1). Both\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) AT and\(\dot V_{O_{_2 max} } \) showed significant correlations (r=−0.69 to −0.92 andr=−0.60 to −0.85, respectively) with the 10,000 m run time in every test. However, further analyses of the data indicate that increasing\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) AT (r=−0.63,P<0.05) rather than\(\dot V_{O_{_2 max} } \) (r=−0.15) could result in improving the 10,000 m race performance to a larger extent, and that the absolute amount of change (δ) in the 10,000 m run time is best accounted for by a combination of δ\(\dot V_{O_2 } \) AT and δ5,000 m run time. Our data suggest that, among runners not previously trained over long distances, training-induced alterations in AT in response to regular intensive training together with AT level running training may contribute significantly to the enhancement of AT and endurance running performance, probably together with an increase in muscle respiratory capacity.

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This study was supported by Grant 59780141 from the Scientific Research Fund of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, Japan

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Tanaka, K., Watanabe, H., Konishi, Y. et al. Longitudinal associations between anaerobic threshold and distance running performance. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 55, 248–252 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02343795

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