Aging among elite distance runners: A 22-yr longitudinal study

The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological responses of former elite distance runners during submaximal and maximal exercise after a mean period of 22 yr. Fifty-three men were initially tested (T-1) in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they were all highly trained and competitive. For the current evaluation (T-2), these men were classified as highly trained (HT; n = 10), fitness trained (FT; n = 18), untrained (UT; n = 15), and fit older (FO; n = 10), depending on their continued level of training and age. The mean (+/-SE) age for the HT, FT and UT men during T-2 was similar (46.5 +/- 1.6 yr), whereas the FO men were significantly (P < 0.05) older (68.4 +/- 2.7 yr). All groups experienced a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in maximal O-2 uptake (VO2 max) from T-1 to T-2. However, this decrease was related to the amount of training between evaluations. The HT men had the smallest reduction (6% per decade) in Vo(2 max) (from 68.8 to 59.2 ml . g(-1). min(-1)). The FT men's Vo(2 max) was similar to 10% lower per decade (from 64.1 to 48.9 ml . kg(-1). min(-1)), whereas an similar to 15% decrease per decade was observed for the UT (from 70.7 to 46.7 ml . kg(-1). min(-1)) and FO (from 60.3 to 40.7 ml . kg(-1). min(-1)) men, despite the continued training of the FO men. Energy requirements for a standardized run at 12 km/run were similar from T-1 to T-2 for the HT and FT men, whereas the UT men required an increased (P < 0.05) O-2 uptake (40.3-41.8 1/min), ventilation (53.7-72.7 1/min), and heart rate (127-142 beats/min). The perceived effort and %Vo(2 max) for this submaximal run were greater during Ta for all groups, which was related to the decline in Vo(2 max). These longitudinal data indicate that after more than two decades the physiological capacities of these aging runners are compromised, regardless of training. These data also confirm previous cross-sectional findings that aerobic capacity of highly trained middle-aged men declines similar to 5-7% per decade.