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Heart Rate Does Not Reflect the %VO 2 max in Recreational Runners during the Marathon

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  • Véronique Billat

    (Department of STAPS, Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, 91000 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
    Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, Université Libre de Bruxelles Neuroscience Institut, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium)

  • Florent Palacin

    (Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, Université Libre de Bruxelles Neuroscience Institut, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium)

  • Luc Poinsard

    (Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, Université Libre de Bruxelles Neuroscience Institut, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium)

  • Johnathan Edwards

    (Billatraining SAS, 91840 Soisy-sur-École, France)

  • Michael Maron

    (Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA)

Abstract

Exercise physiologists and coaches prescribe heart rate zones (between 65 and 80% of maximal heart rate, HR max ) during a marathon because it supposedly represents specific metabolic zones and the percentage of V ˙ O 2max below the lactate threshold. The present study tested the hypothesis that the heart rate does not reflect the oxygen uptake of recreational runners during a marathon and that this dissociation would be more pronounced in the lower performers’ group (>4 h). While wearing a portable gas exchange system, ten male endurance runners performed an incremental test on the road to determine V ˙ O 2max , HR max , and anaerobic threshold. Two weeks later, the same subjects ran a marathon with the same device for measuring the gas exchanges and HR continuously. The %HR max remained stable after the 5th km (between 88% and 91%, p = 0.27), which was not significantly different from the %HR max at the ventilatory threshold (89 ± 4% vs. 93 ± 6%, p = 0.12). However, the % V ˙ O 2max and percentage of the speed associated with V ˙ O 2max decreased during the marathon (81 ± 5 to 74 ± 5 % V ˙ O 2max and 72 ± 9 to 58 ± 14 %v V ˙ O 2max , p < 0.0001). Hence, the ratio between %HR max and % V ˙ O 2max increased significantly between the 5th and the 42nd km (from 1.01 to 1.19, p = < 0.001). In conclusion, pacing during a marathon according to heart rate zones is not recommended. Rather, learning about the relationship between running sensations during training and racing using RPE is optimal.

Suggested Citation

  • Véronique Billat & Florent Palacin & Luc Poinsard & Johnathan Edwards & Michael Maron, 2022. "Heart Rate Does Not Reflect the %VO 2 max in Recreational Runners during the Marathon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12451-:d:929668
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sylvia Binkley & Carl Foster & Cristina Cortis & Jos J. de Koning & Christopher Dodge & Scott T. Doberstein & Andrea Fusco & Salvador J. Jaime & John P. Porcari, 2021. "Summated Hazard Score as a Powerful Predictor of Fatigue in Relation to Pacing Strategy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Jean-Renaud Pycke & Véronique Billat, 2022. "Marathon Performance Depends on Pacing Oscillations between Non Symmetric Extreme Values," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Claire A. Molinari & Johnathan Edwards & Véronique Billat, 2020. "Maximal Time Spent at VO 2max from Sprint to the Marathon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Véronique Billat & Luc Poinsard & Florent Palacin & Jean Renaud Pycke & Michael Maron, 2022. "Oxygen Uptake Measurements and Rate of Perceived Exertion during a Marathon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-19, May.
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