A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between energy systems and running performance, especially during the last spurt in an 800-m race. The subjects were separated into good 800-m runners (group A n=5: best record, 1′54″3±1.4) and a second group of slower 800-m runners (group B n=4: best record, 2′02″1±1.3) . Each group executed two types of running test (600m test and 800m test) . To simulate an 800-m race, the running speed up to 600m was set by means of a lamp pace maker system. The last spurt was running 200m at maximal voluntary running speed. Plasma lactate, plasma ammonia, serum glucose and blood pH were assayed at rest, after warming up, and 6 and 10min after the running test.
The following results were obtained:
1) The last spurt time of group A was significantly faster than that of group B (p<0.01) . 2) In group A, plasma lactate and plasma ammonia concentrations increased significantly during the last spurt (p<0.05) . In group B, however, plasma lactate and plasma ammonia concentrations before the last spurt (600m test values) were very close to the values after the last spurt (800m test values), 3) Last spurt times were significantly related to changes in plasma lactate concentration (r=-0.870, p<0.01) and O² debt (r=-0.799, p<0.01) during the last spurt.
These results suggest that running performance during the last spurt in an 800-m race depends on anaerobic energy ability, as reflected by plasma lactate, plasma ammonia and O² debt before the last spurt.