Tread Lightly Running Podcast How Much Does VO2max Actually Matter?
VO2max is trendy right now - but is training for VO2max legit or grift? We dive into the science of VO2max, how to improve it, and if it actually matters for long-distance runners.
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In this episode, you will learn:
✅ What is your VO2max?
✅ What do VO2max numbers actually mean?
✅ How is VO2max calculated?
✅ Is your Garmin’s VO2max estimate accurate?
✅ How much does VO2max matter for performance?
✅ How to improve your VO2max
✅ Can you improve your performance without changing your VO2max?
✅ Is VO2max a health indicator?
Field Tests for VO2max:
- Cooper test: After a 10-20 min warm-up, run as far as you can in 12 minutes. Record distance and enter into this calculator.
- 1.5-mile run test: After a 10-20 min warm-up, run as fast as you can for 1.5 miles. Record distance and enter into this calculator.
- Lactate threshold test. After a 10-20 min warm-up, run 30 minutes as fast as you can (self-paced, even effort). Your average pace over the final 20 minutes is your velocity at second LT (60-min race pace) and your average HR over the final 20 min is your LTHR.
References:
🔬 PMID: 17414804
🔬 PMID: 36754060🔬https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2025/06/04/bjsports-2025-110186
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