Monitoramento da frequência cardíaca de triatletas durante a corrida em um Ironman 70.3

Abstract

The Ironman 70.3 is a long-lasting test and requires a high physical conditioning, that is, high intensity maintenance for the longest time is necessary to get the best performance and achieve the best settings. In olympic triathlon events, studies have pointed to heart rate as a marker of intensity and a possible predictor of performance. Therefore, the objective of this case study was to analyze the heart rate (HR) behavior and consequent impact on the performance of triathletes. This ex post-facto study is an exploratory cross-sectional analysis. A sample of four triathletes was evaluated. All subjects performed maximal treadmill test using the modified Astrand protocol until the subjects' voluntary exhaustion. This test classified the level of conditioning and was used to calculate the intensity performed during the test. The HR behavior was evaluated in the race segment during the competition, at distances of 5, 10, 15 and 20 kilometers and identified 4 different strategies used by the athletes and their respective response in final performance. The negative or decreasing pacing strategy used by athlete 4 seems to indicate the best race condition in a triathlon and possibly for other long distance races. However, due to the small sample and number of studies involving triathlon, this research suggests further studies to confirm this positioning.