Author(s): O SULLIVAN, I., FRANCIS, P., Institution: MUNSTER TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, Country: IRELAND, Abstract-ID: 2087

INTRODUCTION:
Running Economy (RE) and VO2,max are measures of the aerobic demand of running and have been described as useful predictors and critical components of running performance (P) [1, 2]. The purpose of this systematic review is to illustrate the relationship between VO2max, RE and P whereby all P measures have been converted to points using the World Athletics (WA) scoring tables.
METHODS:
A database search was carried out in Web of Science, Scopus and SportDiscus between the years 2007 and 2023. In accordance with a PRISMA checklist 33 studies providing 61 VO2max and P data sets (n = 694) and 27 RE and P data sets (n = 348) were included in this review. The relationships between VO2max and P and RE measured at 12 km/h (RE12km/h) and P were determined using linear regression analysis.
RESULTS:
There is a statistically significant correlation between VO2max and P (R2 = 0.80, p ≤ 0.001, alpha = 0.05) and no statistically significant correlation between RE12km/h and P (R2 = 0.08, p = 0.15, alpha = 0.05). These relationships were further broken down to observe potential differences between performances measured using distances < 5000m or ≥ 5000m. VO2max appears to demonstrate a stronger correlation with performance in distances ≥ 5000m (R2 = 0.83, p ≤ 0.001, alpha= 0.05 ). RE12km/h is not correlated with P at distances < 5000m or ≥ 5000m.
CONCLUSION:
This review suggests that VO2max is the dominant factor in the prediction of endurance running performance in events ranging from 800m to the marathon. Sub-divided into studies which measured performance over distances < or ≥ 5000m, VO2max appears to play an even stronger role in the prediction of longer distance performance. RE12km/h demonstrates no correlation of statistical significance with performance.

References
[1] J. T. Daniels, "A physiologists view of running economy," (in English), Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Article vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 332-338, 1985.
[2] C. Foster, J. Daniels, and R. Yarbrough, "Physiological and training correlates of marathon running performance," Australian Journal of Sports Medicine, no. Nov/Dec, p. 5, 1977.