Validation of the 15 Minute Balke Field Test for Competitive, Adult 5K Runners: From Treadmill VO_2max Testing to Enhancing Performance

Ryan D. Mitchell^1, and Caitlyn Crandall¹

¹Nutrition Science, The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY, USA

Cite this paper

Ryan D. Mitchell and Caitlyn Crandall. Validation of the 15 Minute Balke Field Test for Competitive, Adult 5K Runners: From Treadmill VO_2max Testing to Enhancing Performance. American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2017; 5(3):44-47. doi: 10.12691/AJSSM-5-3-1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of a 15 minute field test of VO_2max in competitive adult male and female 5k runners and analyze the factors that contribute to the VO_2max of runners in the field versus on a treadmill. Nineteen trained, endurance runners completed a graded treadmill test and a 15 minute field test on a 400 m track (the Balke field test) to independently determine VO_2max. We compared the data using a paired sample t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression. Treadmill VO_2max of runners was significantly higher than the VO_2max determined by the 15 minute field test (56.9 +/- 5.3 ml/min/kg vs. 52.7 +/- 4.3 ml/min/kg, t(18) = 6.609, p = 000). We found a strong correlation when both treadmill pace at VO_2max and treadmill VO_2max were used as predictive factors for field VO_2max (r² = 848, p = .000) with treadmill pace at VO_2max having the strongest associative power in the correlation (β = .636, p = 001). The 15 minute field test is an adequate test of 5K race readiness, with the addition of treadmill test giving athletes and coaches an assessment of race fitness relative to aerobic capacity. In addition to treadmill VO_2max, coaches and athletes must consider additional performance factors such as treadmill pace at VO_2max, lactate threshold, running economy, motivation, etc. for the prediction of field or performance VO_2max.

Keywords

running, coaching, cardiopulmonary exercise test, Balke field test, treadmill test, mathematical model

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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