Impact of Aerobic Capacity on Mechanical Variables in Track Sprinters and Middle-Distance Runners: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: This study examined the impact of aerobic capacity on force-velocity (F-v) variables and repeated-sprint (RS) performance in male national-level sprinters (SPRs, n = 8; 177.0 ± 4.3 cm; 74.0 ± 5.0 kg; maximal oxygen uptake [VO₂max]: 55.4 ± 3.0 mL/kg/min) and middle-distance runners (MDRs; n = 8; 179.0 ± 5.1 cm; 67.2 ± 5.0 kg; VO₂max: 64.3 ± 3.3 mL/kg/min). Method: Participants underwent assessments of aerobic capacity, mechanical F-v profiling in sprinting 2 × 60 m with full recovery, and a 10 × 60 m repeated-sprint test with 30 s recovery. Results: MDRs exhibited significantly higher VO₂max (p < 0.001) and speed at VO₂max (vVO₂max, p < 0.001), while SPRs demonstrated greater anaerobic speed reserve (ASR, p < 0.001), maximal theoretical horizontal force (F₀, p = 0.012), and power output (P_max, p < 0.01). During the RS test, SPRs displayed a 16.6% performance decrement (p = 0.002) and failed to complete all sprints with voluntary withdrawal after 5-8 sprints due to exhaustion, whereas MDRs maintained consistent performance. SPRs exhibited a larger decrease in v₀ compared to MDRs (p < 0.01), whereas no differences were observed on F₀ (p = 0.519) and P_max (p = 0.758). Blood lactate accumulation was higher in SPRs (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis on the pooled sample identified vVO₂max (p = 0.003) and not ASR (p = 0.482) as a key predictor of fatigue resistance. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of aerobic capacity in sustaining RS performance. Aerobic capacity, specifically vVO₂max, emerged as the primary determinant of fatigue resistance during repeated sprints, underscoring its critical role in sustaining RS performance over mechanical variables such as v₀ but not F₀ and P_max.

Keywords: anaerobic speed reserve; force–velocity; repeated sprints.

Figure 1

Performance time (s) for each 60 m sprint in the two groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD. * represents statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.05).

Figure 2

Changes in relative horizontal force, velocity, and relative horizontal power over the course of the sprints for the mean of middle-distance runners (left panel) and sprinters (right panel) compared to the 1st with the 4th and 8th.

Figure 3

Blood lactate responses (mmol·L⁻¹) during the 10 × 60 m sprint protocol for the two groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD. (p < 0.05) between groups at the corresponding sprint repetition. * represents statistically significant differences between groups.