Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological demands of a halfmarathon race on a group of ten recreational runners (8 men and 2 women). The average running speed was 223.1 +/- 22.7 m/min (means +/- SD) for the group and this represented 79 +/- 5 VO2 max for these runners. There was a good correlation between VO2 max and performance time for the race and an even better correlation between running speed equivalent to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l and performance times. The blood lactate concentration of 4 of the runners at the end of the race was 5.65 +/- 1.42 mmol/l (mean +/- SD) and the estimated energy expenditure for the group was 6.22 M.J. While there was only a poor correlation between total energy expenditure and performance time for the race, the correlation coefficient was improved when the energy expenditure of each individual was expressed in KJ/kg/min. Verf.-Referat