RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to determine whether competitive and recreational runners would replicate land training intensity during water immersion (WI) running with (V) and without (NV) a flotation vest and during treadmill running (Tm). Seven female competitive runners (CR) and seven female noncompetitive runners (NR) were asked to replicate preferred land training intensity characteristic of a 45-min run under three conditions (Tm, V, and NV). When 20-min submaximal runs at the preferred land training intensity were performed for Tm, V, and NV conditions, CR were able to elicit a similar submaximal VO2 for all three conditions. In contrast, the NR group had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower VO2 (27%), HR (23%), VE (26%) and %VO2max (27%) during V versus Tm condition. During the NV condition, NR had a significantly lower VO2 (13%), %VO2max (13%), and a higher RPE compared with Tm running, and a significantly higher VO2 (16%), HR (15%), VE (24%), %VO2max (15%) and RPE compared with the V condition. Competitive runners were able to achieve training intensities similar to land training for WI running with or without a flotation vest. However, recreational runners failed to replicate land training pace, where intensity was significantly lower during WI running without a vest and lowest with a vest, despite efforts to maintain a similar level of exertion.