Cardiac responses of young women to conditioning for a 10 kilometer race

Seven previously sedentary women (mean age, 19 yrs) participated in an 11-week running program (4-5 sessions/week) in preparation for a 10 km race. Training intensity was 80-85% of maximum heart rate reserve. Exercise duration began at 20 minutes/session and was lengthened 5 minutes/session every 2 weeks. A control group consisting of 4 women was also evaluated. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max, ml/kg/min) increased 11% in the trained group and decreased 6% in the control group during the study (p less than 0.05). Oxygen uptake, cardiac output (Q), and stroke volume (SV) increased significantly (p less than 0.05) in the trained group during each of 3 levels of steady state cycle ergometer exercise (heart rate targets: 115, 135 and 155 beats/min, respectively). Arteriovenous oxygen difference (a-V02 diff) was not increased significantly after training. Resting left ventricular dimensions and performance evaluated by echocardiography also did not change significantly after training. It was concluded that short-term conditioning in this population results in an increased exercise Q without concomitant increases in left ventricular dimensions or arteriovenous oxygen difference.