If my VO2 Max is quite good why am not getting results ?

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Hills of Death (HOD) Apr 2016 9:22am, 15 Apr 2016 32,086 posts	0 Hills of Death (HOD) I guess the obvious answer is weight I'm down from 13 stone to 11.13 with more to come off. But will the mileage increase help me as I've regularly done 1000/1200 (max) per year. So I guess need to get out of my 30 mpw comfort zone and do 40-50 regulary.
Nellers Apr 2016 9:28am, 15 Apr 2016 30,700 posts	0 Nellers I find that performance only really peaks for me when I've had 6 months or more of consistent miles. 30 mpw is decent, especially if you're doing some biking as well. There is a limit to how much you can fit in and still have a life outside of sport.
FenlandRunner Apr 2016 9:35am, 15 Apr 2016 8,229 posts	0 FenlandRunner Agree with Nellers, consistent mileage volume wins every time, particularly if you're targeting endurance events
FenlandRunner Apr 2016 9:36am, 15 Apr 2016 8,230 posts	0 FenlandRunner And for me 1,000-1,200 miles per year is inadequate for improvements in my endurance
simbil Apr 2016 9:51am, 15 Apr 2016 7,281 posts	0 simbil What results for what distance are you expecting and how far off are you Hodders?
Curly45 Apr 2016 10:21am, 15 Apr 2016 3,085 posts	0 Curly45 Lactate threshold is a much better predictor of times than VO2 max. I think of VO2 as my ultimate potential and lactate as my potential right now (I know that's not strictly medically true but it helps with short term/long term stuff). LT improvements enable the race pace where it feels hard, but not too hard. running.competitor.com
FenlandRunner Apr 2016 10:23am, 15 Apr 2016 8,236 posts	0 FenlandRunner Spot on Curly
HappyG(rrr) Apr 2016 10:37am, 15 Apr 2016 25,491 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) From an article about VO2Max runnersconnect.net VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise. It’s a combination of how much oxygen-rich blood your heart can pump, and the muscles efficiency in extracting and utilizing the oxygen. Since oxygen is critical to running fast, your VO2 max is the single best measure of running fitness. But: Don’t confuse running fitness with running results. Having a high fitness level doesn’t always mean you will race well, there are many physiological and mental components to a great race, but having a high fitness level is extremely important.
HappyG(rrr) Apr 2016 10:40am, 15 Apr 2016 25,492 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) And VO2Max affects speed more than endurance so is more relevant for shorter races 5K and below. 10K, half and esp marathon are less affected by VO2Max. Hence why a focus on endurance, resilience, aerobic fitness, fat burning etc i.e. mostly lots of slow miles, with just a wee bit of speedwork, would be the balance? Weight?! Pah, gimme cayke! Only joking, of course a stone lighter is up to 30s per mile faster. Made a big difference for me. G
SODIron © 2002 Apr 2016 10:43am, 15 Apr 2016 11,118 posts	0 SODIron © 2002 LT, VO2 Max, HR etc. are all useful indicators of what you can expect in your performances however, if you're not hitting your expected performance targets then it could be that you (like me) don't like putting yourself in the 'hurt locker' when you race. You can only achieve your full potential if / when you are comfortable being uncomfortable (this is something I struggle with myself and I have been working hard in the last two months to address). Other things that could affect performance are: * Poor race execution (i.e. going out too hard at the start) * Poor race prep (arriving stressed, late, poor sleep, dehydrated, poor nutrition etc.) * Poor Diet (nutrition is hugely important to performance) * Sickness or underlying medical condition (I was anaemic once, could barely run 08:00/mi av. for 10k)