Hematological Changes In The Training Process For An Ironman Competition

Abstract

The Ironman competition includes 3800 meters swimming, 180 kilometers cycling and a marathon (42,195 kilometers running). It is described as an aerobic work requiring many months of training in order to participate in the competition. PURPOSE To determine the hematological alterations of hematocrit (HE), hemoglobin (HB), erythrocyte count (ER) and leukocyte count, including neutrophil (NE), lynphocite (LY), monocyte (MO), eosinophil (EO) and basophil (BA) count, releated to the training process. METHODS A male triathlete was studied (32 years old, 71 kilograms weight, 1,76 meters high) who had participated in different triathlon races for ten years. Training was monitored during the 7 weeks before and weeks 1, 3 and 4 after the race. Every session and microcycle the total number of heart beats (TH) were calculated to determine training load. Once every week ER, HE, HB, NE, LY, MO, EO and BA were analysed using clinical testing. To avoid iron deficiency due to blood sampling, supplemental vitamins and iron were administered. Correlations between hematological and training variables was used to analysed data. RESULTS There were no significant correlations between TH and HE (R=0.168), HB (R=−0.023), ER (R=−0.039), NE (R=0.422), LY (R=0.082), EO (R=0.329) and BA (R=0.017). A significant correlation between TH y MO (R=0.728; p<.05) was found. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in HE, HB, ER, NE, LY, MO, EO and BA were always within normal limits. No relationship between changes in hematological variables and training load increase/decrease, except for correlation between TH and MO was found. It is concluded that monocyte count changes may be useful to show training load during preparation for the Ironman distance.