Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 2-km swim on markers of subsequent cycling performance in well-trained, age-group triathletes. Fifteen participants (10 males, five females, 38.3 ± 8.4 years) performed two progressive cycling tests between two and ten days apart, one of which was immediately following a 2-km swim (33.7 ± 4.1 min). Cycling power at 4-mM blood lactate concentration decreased after swimming by an average of 3.8% (p = 0.03, 95% CI −7.7, 0.2%), while heart rate during submaximal cycling (220 W for males, 150 W for females) increased by an average of 4.0% (p = 0.02, 95% CI 1.7, 9.7%), compared to cycling without prior swimming. Maximal oxygen consumption decreased by an average of 4.0% (p = 0.01, 95% CI −6.5, −1.4%), and peak power decreased by an average of 4.5% (p < 0.01, 95% CI −7.3, −2.3%) after swimming, compared to cycling without prior swimming. Results from this study suggest that markers of submaximal and maximal cycling are impaired following a 2-km swim.
Highlights
The sport of triathlon combines three disciplines into a single race, with competitions lasting from less than 2 h for sprint-distance to between 8 and 16 h for full-distance (IronmanTM) triathlons [1,2]
Power at 4-mM blood lactate concentration decreased by 3.8% (p = 0.03, 95% CI −7.7, 0.2), and heart rate (HR)
Power at 4-mM blood lactate concentration decreased by 3.8% (p = 0.03, 95% CI −7.7, 0.2), and at 220 HR
Summary
The sport of triathlon combines three disciplines (swimming, cycling, and running) into a single race, with competitions lasting from less than 2 h for sprint-distance to between 8 and 16 h for full-distance (IronmanTM) triathlons [1,2]. The three main factors that predict endurance sport performance are maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max ), lactate threshold, and movement economy [3]. Performance VO2 has been defined as the rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 ) that can be sustained for a given race duration and is dependent on VO2max and the lactate threshold [3]. These variables are commonly measured by triathletes and are important in triathlon performance [4,5]. Many triathletes undergo metabolic and lactate testing in order to monitor training progress and determine cycling power and heart rate (HR) zones, and these data may predict triathlon performance [6]. Overall triathlon finishing time can be predicted from VO2max and VO2 at the ventilatory threshold during an incremental cycling test [5]
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