Running economy how important is it really?

Is economy the best predictor of performance? {besides results} wrote:

Case study:

Physiological test one month after 40kms a week for two months due to bone (stress reaction) injury at 70km a week for one month {3 sessions a week}: 17year old, 59kg, 175cm tall, Vo2 max of 77, lactate/anaerobic threshold of 3.45/km, aerobic threshold {solely aerobic} of 4.17/km and lastly a very poor running economy of 243 (ml.kg-1.km-1); 180-200 good ranges. {Tadese 150}

15.25; 5000m shape obtained just prior to injury.

Economy is a huge factor in distance running performance! But just how huge?

How much of an increase in economy would impact race times?

The one month after 40kms a week for two months {month prior to test} was filled with threshold and tempo workouts at a weekly mileage of around 50km a week.

Depends on the distance. In sprints, not at all. Sprinters are the least economical out of any runner. Middle not so much either, it matters a bit more. It is in longer distances that it ill effect you. As longer the race and the less economical you are, the more energy you will expand.

Bolt looks pretty economical to me.

Then you have funny eyes, or need to understand the word economy.

Hhhhmmmm wrote:

Bolt looks pretty economical to me.

Indeed, but the word economy has been hijacked by distance runners to mean aerobic efficiency.

The answer to your question is no. These will be three main factors

Aerobic capacity

Running economy

Lactate threshold

All 3 are important and just as important as eachother peak performance as they all interact. A guy with a very high Vo2max will have a lower running economy than a guy at the same level with a lower Vo2max. What happens here is an athlete who has a very high Vo2max will have higher levels of fat oxidation and fat isn't a very efficient form of energy which means it has a higher Oxygen cost(a piece of the economy jigsaw). That's not saying that a high Vo2max is a bad thing(it's very important) but just that it is part of a bigger picture.

Now the guy with the lower Vo2 max will have a higher running economy in general as he can't circulate the same amount of oxygen but will have less fat oxidation to cope with and drive up oxygen cost which means he can get by on the lower available oxygen supply. This is the metabolic link between Vo2max and running economy. You can't nail these two 100% and have a very high Vo2max and very low running economy(low oxygen cost). It's a balancing act.

There is more to economy than just that though.

Mechanical efficiency

Neuromuscular efficiency

Many athletes whether high Vo2max or low Vo2max can score very well in these and prop up economy but it's not quite as impactful as metabolic efficiency.

I'll put it this way, neither incredible off the charts Vo2max, LT or running economy individually can make up for poor scores in the two other areas. What happens in an elite runner is they have a perfect blend of balance between the systems at a very high level. They are all important and even more importantly, can all be trained to certain extents by varying training, making sure to never completely abandon an aspect of training from speed to endurance to whatever else, just shift how much you prioritise each aspect depending on what race or what type of runner you are.

Elixer wrote:

Running economy

Lactate threshold

Mechanical efficiency

Neuromuscular efficiency

They are all the same thing.

vVO2max is what counts and vVO2max is a combination of VO2max and economy. Extend a runner's economy curve out to that runner's VO2max and drop a vertical line to the speed associated and that is what counts.

yeah but no wrote:

Elixer wrote:

Running economy

Lactate threshold

Mechanical efficiency

Neuromuscular efficiency

They are all the same thing.

I think you forget where I said

"There is more to economy than just that though"

And listed them after it

I agree that it is very important and think that almost all runners don't work on running economy enough. Everyone puts a ton of time into running 100 mile weeks to work on aerobic capacity, but so many of those people don't spend 30 minutes a week on hurdle drills, form drills, and other small things that will improve your running economy. Those things also don't tire you out that much, so they don't compromise the rest of your activities and just take a little bit of time and mental effort.