Olympic Distance Amateur Triathlete Chronotype Profile

Abstract

It seems that the athletes tend to select and pursue sports that suited their chronotype. Elite triathletes show to comprise high proportions of morning-types (MTs), differently from general population. Possibly the early morning training sections, characteristics in this sport modality, favors athletes presenting morning types profile. There are no data about amateur triathletes chronotype, but probably there are also a high percentage of morning type, mainly because the training sessions occur even earlier, once amateurs need to work after the training. As the training sessions occur early in the morning, it is possible for morning-type athletes are able to develop higher intensity trainings and thus having better physiological adaptations. However, there are no data about chronotypes and physiological profile. PURPOSE: Characterize the chronotype profile in a group of triathlon amateur competitors who participate in the Olympic distance triathlon race. Verify if there are association between chronotype profile and physical fitness in amateur triathletes. METHODS: Thirty-nine men and six women who had subscribed to compete in the sixth stage of the 26thBrazil Triathlon Trophy (26o Troféu Brasil de Triathlon) in the Olympic distance participated in this cross-sectional observational study. Participants were evaluated for anthropometric characteristics (body mass, height, and body composition through [DXA]), aerobic physical fitness (maximum oxygen consumption [V ̇O2max], anaerobic threshold and respiratory compensation point, maximum aerobic velocity [MAV] and running economy [RE]). Chronotype profile was evaluated using Horne-Ostberg morning-eveningness questionnaire. RESULTS: According to the chronotype questionnaire 66.7% of the volunteers (69.2% men and 50.0% women were classified as morning profiles (22.2% definite morning and 44.4% as moderate morning) and only 6.7% were classified as evening profiles. There were no significant correlations between chronotype profiles and the physical fitness variables. CONCLUSIONS: Amateur triathletes show to comprise high proportions of morning-types, but the physiological profile is similar between the different existing chronotypes.