Economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon is highly related to Olympic distance triathlon

This study examined the relationship between Olympic distance triathlon (swim over 1.5 km, cycle over 40.0 km, and run over 10.0 km) and economy during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Seventeen male triathletes conducted both maximal exercise tests and simulated laboratory triathlon. The latter test consisted of swimming (S), cycling (C) and running (R) stages as a continuous task using a flume-pool, a cycle ergometer and a treadmill, respectively. The exercise intensity and duration were 60 % of (V) over dot O(2)max during swimming, cycling and running for 30, 75 and 45 min, respectively. The index of economy was determined by the % (V) over dot O(2)max at the last min of each stage during a simulated laboratory test triathlon. Results indicated that Olympic distance triathlon (total time) was correlated to swimming-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.621, p < 0.001), cycling-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.873, p < 0.001), running-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.891, p < 0.001), S-Economy (r = 0.208, ns), C-Economy (r = 0.601, p < 0.001) and R-Economy (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). There were also significant correlations between swimming time and swimming-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.648, p < 0.01), between cycling time and cycling-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.819, p < 0.001), between running time and running-(V) over dot O(2)max (r = -0.726, p < 0.001), between swimming time and S-Economy (r = 0.550, p < 0.05), between cycling time and C-Economy (r = 0.613, p < 0.01), and between running time and R-Economy (r = 0.548, p < 0.05). These results demonstrated that the larger (V) over dot O(2)max during maximal exercise tests and smaller increment of (V) over dot O-2 during a simulated laboratory test triathlon indicating good economy were good predictors to determine the Olympic distance triathlon.