The goal of this study was to identify inbred rat strains that could serve as useful models for exploration of the genetic basis of aerobic endurance performance. Six rats of each gender from 11 different inbred strains were tested for 1) maximal running capacity on a treadmill and 2) isolated cardiac performance. Running performance was estimated from 1) duration of the run, 2) distance run, and 3) vertical work performed. Cardiac output, during constant preload and afterload, was taken as a measure of cardiac performance from an isolated working heart preparation. The COP rats were the lowest performers and the DA rats were the best performers by all estimates of running performance. Across the 11 strains, the distance run correlated positively with isolated cardiac performance (r = 0.87). Estimates of performance were as follows (COP vs. DA strain, respectively): duration of run, 19.9 +/- 1.8 vs. 41.5 +/- 2. 2 min; distance run, 298 +/- 30 vs. 840 +/- 64 m; vertical work, 15 +/- 1.7 vs. 40 +/- 4.4 kg/m. These approximately 2.5-fold differences in running performance between the COP and DA suggest that these strains could serve as models for evaluation of the genetic basis of variance in aerobic performance.