Skin-fold Thickness and Training Volume in Ultra-triathletes

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between variables of anthropometry and training volume on race performance in 29 male non-professional ultra-triathletes. Anthropometric variables were determined in order to calculate body mass index, sum of skin-folds and percent body fat. Participants kept a comprehensive training diary recording their training volume in hours and kilometres in the 3 months before the race. The relationship of anthropometry and average weekly training volume with race performance was investigated with linear regression analysis. The sum of 8 skin-fold thicknesses was associated with total race time (r (2)=0.33, p<0.001), whereas the average weekly training volume was not (r (2)=0.00, p>0.05). The training volume showed no association with the sum of 8 skin-folds (r (2)=0.00, p>0.05). The sum of 8 skin-folds was neither associated with speed in the swim (r (2)=0.10, p>0.05) nor in the bike split (r (2)=0.10, p>0.05) but showed a significant association with speed in the run split (r (2)=0.38, p<0.0001). We concluded that anthropometry was of more importance than training volume in male Triple Iron triathletes and that these athletes were close to runners regarding the relationship of anthropometry with race performance.