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Purpose: There has been published a wide range of scientific studies dealing with the determinants running economy (RE), or with the influence of several weeks’ strength intervention programs on selected parameters of running economy. The literature also marginally addresses the acute influence of some intervention programs on running economy. At the same time, the effective planning of sports training requires studying the dynamics of regeneration processes in the organism after a certain type of physical loading. The objective of this work was to determine the acute effect of speed-strength training (the speed method) on the level (dynamics) of running economy within predefined time intervals. Methods: Seven recreational runners, students of the Faculty of Sports Studies (age 24.4 +- 1.7 years) underwent speed-strength training of lower limbs (30 % 1RM, high speed drill, load lasting 7 sec., load : rest = 1:20, 3 sets in each exercise) consisting of squats with a barbell on the shoulders, leg curls, calf raises on the legpress, and forward lunges with one-hand dumbbells. The test of RE was carried out on a conveyor belt (1% inclination) at 8, 10 and 12 km.h-1 (5 min interval load, the last 2 min. of every speed level were recorded), in four separate measurements (pretest, immediately after the strength intervention, 24 h and 48 h after the intervention). To identify differences between mean values of RE at predefined speeds, we used the LSD test.Results: The average VO2.BM- 1.min-1 at 8 km/h increased from baseline by 3.9 % immediately after the intervention, by 3.2% after 24h and by 3.4% after 48 h. At the speed of 10 km/h, it increased by 3.5%, 0.9% and 2.6%, respectively. At the speed of 12 km/h, the average VO2.BM- 1.min-1 increased by 3.5%, 1.5% and 2.1%. The results showed no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in the indicators of RE after the speed-strength intervention.Conclusions: Although we didn’t find any statistically significant differences between the initial and post-intervention values of RE, we can conclude that the analyzed values have certain factual significance. Running economy namely worsened by 0.9-3.9% compared to pretest values. In a study dealing with the effect of strength training (Kampmiller et Vanderka, 2006), the authors concluded that fatigue after intense muscular loading culminates after about 48 hours. Even our study shows that the culmination of fatigue (the average value of RE) was higher after 48 hours than after 24 hours. The measured results thus correspond with the data of the above mentioned authors. In terms of the planning and management of training for runners, or immediate (several days) preparation for a race, it is still desirable to further investigate the dynamics of VO2 over longer periods of time. The question is how the dynamics of RE changes (increases x decreases) after 48 hours.
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