INTRODUCTION: Monitoring the performance-related characteristics of athletes can reveal changes that motivate adaptation of training that cannot only improve performance, but also reduce the risk of injury, illness and overtraining 1. Here, we examine the relationships between changes in submaximal running, maximal jump performance (CMJ), concentrations of blood lactate, sleep duration (SD) and latency (SL), and perceived level of stress (PSS) in junior cross-country skiers during a pre-season training period. METHODS: These parameters were monitored in 15 male and 14 female cross-country skiers (17 ± 1 years) for the 12 weeks prior to the competition season in the winter, and the data was analyzed using linear and mixed-effect models. RESULTS: Diminished sleep duration exerted a negative impact on both PSS (B = -0.001, p = 0.05) and submaximal concentrations of blood lactate (B = -0.623, p = 0.05). In addition, there was a negative relationship between SL and CMJ (B = -0.09, p = 0.08). The women exhibited significantly higher PSS scores and little or no change in any performance-related test, whereas the men demonstrated a significant improvement in jump performance. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: For all of the athletes combined, perceived stress appeared to be associated with recovery and/or sleep. Since the women experienced higher levels of stress, monthly monitoring of their perceived stress levels might be beneficial. These findings have implications for the preparation of young cross-country skiers for an upcoming competition season.
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