Table 1.

Proposed framework for standardizing researcher and practitioner categories of events 800 m—marathon considering both average race velocity and subsequent physiological consequences of a given race demand.

Parameter	Middle-distance		Middle-long distance			Long distance
Events	800 m (min:ss:ms)	1,500 m (min:ss:ms)	3,000 m (min:ss:ms)	5,000 m (min:ss:ms)	10, 000 m (min:ss:ms)	60 min record (~l/2 marathon) (min:ss)	Marathon (hr:min:ss)
Male world record event duration (hr:min:ss:ms)	1:40.91	3:26.00	7:20.67	12:37.35	26:17.53	58.18	2:01:39
Average race pace intensity (% VO2max; Billat, 2001)	115–130	105–115	~100	95–100	90–95	85–90	75–80
Physiological threshold	Above VO2max		≤VO2max, ≥ Critical velocity			<Critical velocity
% Aerobic energy contribution (Billat, 2001)	65–75	80–85	85–90	90–95	97	98	99.9
% Aerobic energy contribution (Spencer and Gastin, 2001)	66 ± 4	84 ± 3	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
% Aerobic energy contribution (Duffield et al., 2005a,b)	60.3 ± 9	77 ± 7	86 ± 7	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Coach interpretation of % aerobic energy contribution (Gamboa et al., 1996)	35–65	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
% difference in aerobic contribution to 800 m	–	5–20	10–25	20–30	22–32	23–33	24.9–34.9

Adapted from Gamboa et al. (1996); Billat (2001); Spencer and Gastin (2001); Duffield and Dawson (2003); Duffield et al. (2005a,b).