18 January 2010

lab rat

Participated in a research.

1) vo2 test

Protocol: speed 8.5 km/h constant, 3mins @ 0% grade, increased by 2.5% every 2mins
Duration: 20mins, ending at 20% grade
Vo2max 59
HR 190
Peak lactate 10.1

Experienced premature fatique as hills are not my strength. I've seen HR of 195 bpm during races & intervals, so could go longer under competitive situation, hence potentially higher Vo2. On the other hand, some say that protocol is not that accurate as in reality, runners don't run at that grade a lot hence Vo2 might be grossly elevated. A better test would be to run on flat grade (or track), with increasing speed and ending at the top speed that corresponds to your highest oxygen uptake.

For what it's worth, this calculator predicts 35mins 10k, 80 HM, and 2h45m marathon potential for me.

Pretty much in-line with what I expected. NOT MUCH GENETIC TALENT, even after logging 20,000km in the last 6 years.

Sub-3 would be the upper limit of running achievement since many runners generally never reach their VO2max potential.

2) LT

Protocol: grade 1%, 4mins run, 2mins rest for reading, speed increased by 0.7 km/h every interval

The protocol was for less fit types, with starting speed of 8.7 km/h. Lactate still hovered above resting levels for 30 minutes into the run. Fortunately, during the last stage, I at least reached 4 mmol which is often referred as LT (although range could be 2.5-6.5).

Paces/HR/lactate profile to come.

3) Vo2max (same day as above)

Done after LT test with 10mins rest
Protocol: 1 minute at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 km/h at 1% grade (total 6 minutes). Then staying a 15km/h, grade increased to 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%

Achieved the same Vo2max as above, hence consistent results - although, I had some residual fatique from the LT test. HR only reached 190, decided to stop as I just couldn't run at 4:00 min/km with 10% grade.

Interestingly, the test was done at 23 BMI. Dropping a couple of kgs will increase it by 2 points.

4 comments:

Epi said...

How does that compare with the test you had in Perth a couple of years ago?

Sling Runner said...

Epi,

I am still waiting for the phd researcher to email me the lactate profiles.

It has been 3 days now and no news yet. I think the protocol & lactate reading could be wrong, since some of the numbers were a bit too 'fantastic' for a runner of my standard.

At UWA, I was only tested for LT but no vo2.

trailblazer777 said...

interesting...Ive read some varying opinions on the relevance of VO2 max to endurance runners, but its been more than a decade since my sports science days (when we did a lot of that sort of testing), and my textbooks are probably a bit dated now too...Its a new area (exercise/sports science/exercise physiology). Still a lot to learn about how the body works in sports situations...

Ewen said...

Interesting tests Sling. The VO2max is not a limiting factor to running faster PBs - only a limit if you had a goal of a 2:20 marathon ;) Dropping a few kgs would improve the VO2max too.