The relationship between the lactate turnpoint and the time at VO2max during a constant velocity run to exhaustion

The present investigation examined the relationship between the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint (vLTP) and the time at which VO2max can be sustained (TVO2max) during a continuous run to exhaustion at the minimal running velocity that elicits VO2max (vVO(2max)). Seven moderately-trained endurance runners undertook three tests on a treadmill. The first test was to determine vVO(2max); the second to determine the time to exhaustion during a constant velocity run at vVO(2max) (T-lim vVO(2max)) and TVO2max; and the third to determine the vLTP. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between the vLTP (%vVO(2max); i.e. the relative vLTP) and TVO2max, and between other selected physiological variables. Correlations between the relative vLTP and TVO2max, expressed as a percentage of T-lim vVO(2max) (the relative TVO2max; r = 0.82), and between T-VO2max and T-lim vVO(2max) (r = 0.89), were significant at the p < 0.05 level. All other correlations between selected measured physiological variables were found to be statistically insignificant. The main finding of this present study is that the relative vLTP demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the relative TVO2max. The physiological mechanism by which the lactate turnpoint may influence the relative TVO2max has not been elucidated, but may be due to a combination of decreasing the time to attain VO2max and increasing T-lim vVO(2max). The present investigation has demonstrated that the lactate turnpoint may influence the relative time at which VO2max can be sustained during a continuous run to exhaustion at vVO(2max), although further research is required to substantiate these findings.