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Ventilatory responses during experimental cycle-run transition in triathletes
O Hue1, D Le Gallais, A Boussana
1Centre d'Optimisation de la Performance Motrice, Laboratoire Sport, Santé, Développement, UFR-STAPS, Montpellier, France. Olivier.Hue@univ-ag.fr
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|October 20, 1999
Summary
Cycling before running in triathlons increases ventilatory response and alters pulmonary function, suggesting the need for specific multi-trial training. This helps athletes adapt to the physiological demands of the cycle-run transition.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Pulmonary Function Testing
Background:
- Triathletes face unique physiological challenges during multi-sport events.
- Understanding the impact of cycling on subsequent running performance is crucial for training optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a preceding cycling bout on running performance and pulmonary function in triathletes.
- To compare physiological responses during a cycle-run (C-R) versus a run-run (R-R) trial.
Main Methods:
- Nine male triathletes completed four laboratory trials, including incremental tests and C-R/R-R simulations.
- Pulmonary function tests (spirometry, DLCO) and arterial blood gas analysis (PaO2) were performed.
- Ventilatory data (VE) were collected continuously during exercise.
Main Results:
- Oxygen uptake (VO2) during running was similar between C-R and R-R trials.
- Ventilatory response (VE) was significantly higher in the initial minutes of running after cycling (C-R).
- Cycling induced significant increases in residual volume (RV) and functional residual capacity (FRC), and a decrease in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO).
Conclusions:
- Cycling elicits specific pulmonary function changes, potentially linked to respiratory muscle fatigue or exercise-induced hypoxemia.
- The heightened ventilatory response post-cycling highlights the specificity of this transition.
- Multi-trial training is essential for triathletes to adapt to swim-cycle and cycle-run transitions.