Basic physiological measures determine fitness and are associated with running performance in elite young male and female Ethiopian runners

• Published in: Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness 2009-12, Vol.49 (4), p.358-363
• Main Authors: LEGAZ-ARRESE, A, KINFU, H, MUNGUIA-IZQUIERDO, D, CARRANZA-GARCIA, L. E, CALDERON, F. J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Data Analysis; Ethiopia; Exercise Test; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Males; Physical Fitness; Research Methodology; Respiratory Function Tests; Rest; Running - physiology; Skin; Skinfold Thickness; Statistical analysis; Statistics as Topic; Studies; Track & field; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-4707; 1827-1928

The aim of this study was to determine if possible, with the resources available in Ethiopia, to make significant associations between racing performance and laboratory physiological test results in elite young African runners. Twenty-four young Ethiopian runners (12 males and 12 females) attended the physiology laboratory of the Addis Ababa University, where skin fold thickness, basic resting pulmonary function and heart rate (HR) during an incremental treadmill exercise test were recorded a week before or a week after two official 800 and 1500 meter races. Performance was rated according to the scoring procedures of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF): male runners (1041, CV=4.1%), female (1051, CV=2.8%). The sum of four skin folds was significantly correlated with male (r=-0.80, P