Comparing male and female 10km runners with regards to both performance and training

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The objective of this study was to compare training and physiological variables inperformance-matched 10 km female and male athletes in order to identify thosefactors allowing females to compensate for their lower haematocrit and higher %body fat, both of which are disadvantageous to performance. Eight well-trainedcompetitive female runners and eight well-trained competitive male runnersparticipated in the study. They were matched by performance in a controlled 10 kmtime trial in the field (TT10). Training was monitored in each athlete for sevenconsecutive days using heart rate monitoring and training diaries. Each athlete gavea muscle biopsy for histological and biochemical analysis. Four maximal tests, twoflat and two gradient (8%), were completed by each athlete in order to determineV02max, maximum heart rate and peak treadmill speed (PTS) under each condition.Each athlete also completed two submaximal tests (one flat and one gradient) and aten minute race pace test, in which the pace was determined by their TT10performance. These allowed fractional utilization of V02max, HRmax and PTS to bedetermined, as well as economy. Training data revealed a much greater trainingvolume, both distance run and duration of training, in female athletes (p < 0.05 fordistance; p < 0.01 for duration). V02max expressed per kg body mass was significantlyhigher in males (p < 0.05), however, when expressed per FFM, no difference wasfound between genders. Female athletes had a significantly greater percentcomposition of type I fibres and males had significantly more type IIX fibres, possibleexplanation of gender difference in PTS and contributing factor to equal TT10. Therelationships between training, performance and biochemical variables in eithergender were very different.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University