VO2 Max - the good results!

I discussed the frustrating results from my recent trip to the lab, so I thought that I'd share some of the more exciting results.

The concept of VO2 Max is discussed among endurance athletes regularly. (Scott Dunlap at A Trail Runner's blog about his recent testing and Triathlon Network member Jodi's recent results.) The general thought that you hear talked about is that the higher your VO2 Max the faster you are and the better you will do in a race. It's not really that simple. In running there are factors to consider in addition to VO2 Max, like running economy for one.

So an athlete's VO2 Max isn't the only factor that allows them to do well in competition, but it is generally true that most elite runners have "elite" VO2 Max assessments. It's kind of like going to school at Princeton or Harvard - you may not be successful if you go to college there, but you can be pretty sure that in order to get there you were already in an "elite" group. (Don't bag me on the analogy! I didn't go to either.)

If you would like to learn a lot more about these concepts, I'd suggest that you pick up one of these two books: Daniels' Running Formula or Lore of Running.

Here's a quote from Lore of Running to highlight this idea:

"VO2 Max values may vary quite dramatically, even among elite athletes with similar performances. For example, consider the cases of Steve Prefontaine and Frank Shorter, two athletes whose VO2 Max values differed by 16%, yet whose best 1-mile times differed by less than 8 seconds (3.4%) and whose best 3-mile times differed by even less (0.2 seconds)."

So what was my VO2 Max? 64.6 ml/kg/min. I'm pretty happy with that result. It is actually consistent with results that I've had in the past AND it means that I'm still not getting everything out of my ability. My times just don't match what those results suggest I could accomplish. So there are things that I need to continue to work on, most likely running mechanics and running economy.

The other thing to consider is how the result is expressed. The result is expressed in a relative manner, meaning they show my oxygen consumption in relation to my body weight in kilograms. If you have read my last few posts, you'll know that I've been discussing how my weight is not at "optimal" weight. (They actually weighed me in at 143 pounds the day I did the max test.) The absoute oxygen consumption that I acheived was 4189 ml/min, therefore if I would get down to my optimal weight I would raise my relative results to around 67 ml/kg/min.

Here's some data from elite runners in the past taken from The Lore of Running to compare my results. Notice the "elite" club concept and how results are not always in direct relationship to VO2 Max.

Steve Prefontaine - 84.4 ml/kg/min - 1 mile, 3:54.6
Gary Tuttle - 82.7 ml/kg/min - marathon, 2:17:00
Jim Ryun - 81.0 ml/kg/min - 1 mile WR 1967
Sebastian Coe - 77.0 ml/kg/min - 1 mile WR 1981
Alberto Salazar - 76.0 ml/kg/min - marathon, 2:08:13
Frank Shorter - 71.3 ml/kg/min - marathon, 2:10:30
Derek Clayton - 69.7 ml/kg/min - marathon, 2:08:34

My PR's for comparison:

marathon - 3:04:xx
10k - 37:19

I'm excited to see myself acheive those #'s, but I know need to work on the things that will help me be able to use those abilities even better. There's lots of room to move up! Hope!