My VO2 max test results... I've been in the Twilight Zone! (Read 942 times)

Congrats! Your max HR is outstanding given your stats. And I know how you feel about having to slow down to stay in a heart rate zone. I used to strictly abide by zone training rules but don't these days. I used to wear a heart rate monitor religiously too but now only use it occasionally.

The test regularly costs $150, but I got a 10% discount as a member of the local training group. I doubt that my insurance will pay for it but I plan to submit the receipt for reimbursement from my flex spending account. Training by HR instead of pace is going to be a huge paradigm shift, but I'm curious to see the effect on my April half (would like to finish sub-2:05). And since I developed PF during the fall mileage ramp-up to the Columbus marathon (and had to stop running for 6wks while doing PT 3x/wk), I'll be thrilled if this allows me to do those 20+mile training runs without pain!

I finally did the test yesterday... The exercise physiologist recommended that I do my LSD runs in Zone 2 (132-143 bpm) and my tempo runs in Zone 3 (143-151 bpm)... I guess I need reassurance from those of you who have had success w/ HR-based training that training slower will really help me get faster...

Did your test results include data on heart rate (HR) versus respiratory exchange ratio (RER)? Note that RER is sometimes known as respiratory quotient (RQ). Either this or data on fat calories and carb calories versus HR would be really useful to know. For many folks, slowing down on base-mileage and long runs will help build the fat-burrning capabilities of the body, and this will pay dividends by allowing you to race faster later on. I know one guy who raised his Aerobic Threshold (AeT) [however that was defined on his 2 VO2 tests] by 30 bpm over a period of 6 - 9 months just by following a strict regime of base building at a low heart rate. Like they say, YMMV. At some point, you will need to do some kind of faster paced work, but it doesn't have to be very much. Some people get great results by training at easy and periodically doing some races. I've found that LHR training is a great way to build up base mileage without getting injured. In the "User Groups" there is one for Low Heart Rate Training. If you find that and join it, you can get answers to your questions from a number of folks with a lot of experience at this. Also, search for posts by "formationflier" and check out his FAQ on low heart rate training.