Relationship of swim, cycle, and run ventilatory threshold and performance times in a triathlon

Abstract

Twenty-three recreational triathletes,16 male and 7 female (19-32 yrs.) randomly performed max tethered swim (TS), bicycle ergometer (BE), and treadmill run (TR) tests prior to participation in a competitive triathlon (0.57 mi. swim, 24.8 mi. cycle, 6.2 mi. run). Ventilatory threshold (TVENT) responses were analyzed using 2-way mixed design ANOVA with repeated measures. When sig (p < .05) was found, a Scheffe post hoc test was conducted. Males achieved sig (p < .01) higher absolute and relative TVENT values than females across all exercise modes. For the group, absolute and relative TR TVENT values were sig (p < .01) higher than respective TS and BE TVENT values. Male absolute and relative TR TVENT values were sig (p < .01) higher than TS or BE TVENT values. Female TR TVENT values were sig (p < .05) higher than TS TVENT values. Triathlete TVENT values approached those of the unisport specialists. Absolute, relative, and %maxVO2 TS TVENT were sig (p < .001) and moderately to highly (r=-.71, r=- .65, and -. 70, respectively) correlated to swim time. Relative BE and TR TVENT values were sig (p < .001) and highly (r=-.70 and r=-.81, respectively) correlated with respective cycle and run segment times. Relative TS, BE, and TR TVENT values were sig (p < .001) and highly (r=-.71, r=-.77, and r=-.78, respectively) correlated to total performance time. It was concluded that, overall, relative TVENT the best predictor of both intramodal and total performance times.