Oxygen Uptake at Critical Speed and Power in Running: Perspectives and Practical Applications

Intensity domains are recommended when prescribing exercise, and critical power/speed (CP/CS) was designated the "gold standard" when determining maximal metabolic steady state. CS is the running analog of CP for cycle ergometry. However, a CP for running could be useful for controlling intensity when training in any type of condition. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate external, internal, and total CP (CPext, CPint, and CPtot), obtained based on running power calculations, and verified whether they occurred at the same percentage of peak oxygen uptake as the usual CS. Furthermore, this study examined whether selecting strides at the start, half, or end of the exhaustive runs to calculate running power influenced the estimation of the 3 CPs.

Thirteen male runners performed a maximal incremental aerobic test and 4 exhaustive runs (90%, 100%, 110%, 120% peak speed) on a treadmill. The estimations of CS and CPs were obtained using a 3-parameter mathematical model fitted using weighted least square.

CS was estimated at 4.3 m/s while the estimates of CPext, CPint, and CPtot were 5.2, 2.6, and 7.8 W/kg, respectively. The corresponding V˙O2 for CS was 82.5 percentage of peak oxygen uptake and 81.3, 79.7, and 80.6 percentage of peak oxygen uptake for CPext, CPint, and CPtot, respectively. No systematic bias was reported when comparing CS and CPext, as well as the 3 different CPs, whereas systematic biases of 2.8% and 1.8% were obtained for the comparison among CS and CPint and CPtot, respectively. Nonetheless, the V˙O2 for CS and CPs were not statistically different (P = .09). Besides, no effect of the time stride selection for CPs as well as their resulting V˙O2 was obtained (P ≥ .44).

The systematic biases among V˙O2 at CS and CPint and CPtot were not clinically relevant. Therefore, CS and CPs closely represent the same fatigue threshold in running. The knowledge of CP in running might prove to be useful for both athletes and coaches, especially when combined with instantaneous running power. Indeed, this combination might help athletes controlling their targeted training intensity and coaches prescribing a training session in any type of condition.