It is a long time since I had my vo2 measured, - probably thirteen or fourteen years. In the last week I have had it measured twice, on Monday and Friday. Well that is strictly not quite correct. Monday's test had to be suspended as the seal on the face mask broke. As a consequence the screen showed that my oxygen consumption was decreasing although I was running faster and expending more energy. A neat trick but not possible! Hence the reason for Friday's test.
I had volunteered for the test. A sport's psychologist needed twenty individuals to assist him in his investigations and he had approached various athletic clubs, including my own. The vo2 test was carried out so as to determine base figures for subsequent tests which are also be carried out with the benefit of a treadmill. He seems to be particularly interested in how runners motivate themselves during the course of a race.
Running on a treadmill at speed is slightly disconcerting, most particularly when you have a face mask clamped to your vizog. It isn't so bad at the early speeds of 10, 12 and 14kph but once you are really striding out and coming close to your maximum speed you do begin to realise that the surface beneath you is moving and that it is not advisable to stumble or stop. For safety reasons you do have a harness which would hopefully stop you flying off the rear of the treadmill. Thankfully I didn't have to test the sufficiency of this safety measure and I was able to jump astride the side rests whenever I felt that maximum effort had been more or less achieved.
Despite the elapse of the last thirteen or fourteen years my vo2 has only decreased by some 2%. Clearly my training regime has been reasonably successful in plugging the hole that is age related capacity and fitness.
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