CHARACTERIZING PERFORMANCE IN ELITE TRACK AND FIELD SPRINTERS IN RELATION TO THE ACUTE:CHRONIC WORKLOAD RATIO

Abstract

PURPOSE: The acute:chronic workload ratio is a method of training load quantification that quantifies internal and external responses to training. Chronic training load is a rolling average of the most recent 28 days of training, and the acute workload is the most recent 7 days. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the acute:chronic workload ratio and peak performance in elite track and field sprinters over the course of the 2018 outdoor season. METHODS: The acute:chronic workload ratio was determined retrospectively by calculating the sum of the 7 days before a competition session ratings of perceived exertion of training load (acute load) and dividing it by the average weekly session rating of perceived exertion of training load over the 28-days prior to competition (chronic workload). Partial correlations were used to characterize the relationship between race time (covaried for confounding variables of temperature, humidity, and wind) and the acute:chronic workload ratio. Secondarily, the adjusted race times were used to create Z-scores for each sprinters’ race time. Bins were then created for the acute:chronic workload ratio ranges, and the Z-scores were pooled into the acute:chronic workload ratio bins with which they corresponded. RESULTS: Moderate, positive correlations between the acute:chronic workload ratio and race times for the 100m (r= 0.542) and 200m (r= 0.711) races were observed. 85% of 100m sprinters and 60% of 200m sprinters had their lowest times within the 0.8-1.3 z- score bin: a range cited in previous research as being associated with a lowest risk of injury. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining an acute:chronic workload ratio between 0.8 and 1.3 may be optimal for elite track and field sprinters to reach their peak performance in the 100m and 200m races. An individualized approach to training load using the acute:chronic workload ratio should help coaches and performance staff with individualized training-load prescription for the sprinters to reach peak performance.