Energy cost of speec skating and efficiency of work against air resistance

The energy expenditure during speed ice skating (PB=650 mmHg; T=-5 degrees C) was measured on 13 athletes (speed range: 4-12 m/s) from VO2 and (for speeds greater than 10 m/s) from blood lactic acid concentration. The energy spent (O2 equivalents) per unit body wt and unit distance (Etot/V, ml/kg-min) increases with the speed (v, m/s): Etot/v=0.049 + 0.44 X 10(-3) V2. At 10 m/s, Vtot/v amounts then to 0.093 ml/kg-m: about half the value of running. The constant 0.049 ml/kg-m is interpreted as the energy spent against gravitational and inertial forces. The term 0.44 X 10(-3) v2 indicates the energy spent against the wind, the constant 0.44 X 10(-3) ml-s2-kg-1-m-3 being a measure of k/e, where k is the coefficient relating drag to v2, and e the efficiency of work against the wind. From a direct estimate of k in a wind tunnel, e was calculated as 0.11. In running, skating, and cycling k/e is similar (approximately 0.020 ml-s2-m-3 per m2 body area), hence at a given speed the energy spent against the wind is equal. On the contrary, the energy spent against other forces decreases in the above order: 0.19, 0.05, 0.018 ml-m-1 per kg body wt. This explains the different speeds attained in these exercises with the same power output.