Category Archives: vo2 max

Return to the Max

0, 04mi, vo2 max

Start time: 8/3/07, 7:30am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: ~4.5 miles
Average pace: 9:30min/mile & ~6:20min/mile

Well, I finally hit the VO2 Max runs again. The plan was to run them with Laura at Madison High School (I had checked on my parents’s house the night before, done some weeding, and then spent the night; Madison is just around the corner) but instead we had to scrub that plan because the track is being rebuilt. Oops! So, off to the W&OD Trail, where we did 8 reps of the VO2 Max runs. Not the full prescribed 10, but considering the most I’d done before was 4, that’s a big victory for me. Just guessing on times here. All I knew for certain is we worked.

Starting Over

0, 03mi, vo2 max

Start time: 7/20/07, 6:00pm
Location: McLean High School
Distance: 3.25 miles
Average pace: 9:30min/mile & 6:15min/mile

I seem to be doing just dandy at only attempting every other VO2 Max run. Problem is, I’ve been feeling like I’ve been starting over each time. At least this time I got all four reps initial in, and only the fourth was slipping off of the prescribed 6min/mile pace. But, four is better than none, right? I’d have liked to get the prescribed distance in (eight!) but next time I will push up to six and we’ll just go from there. Or at least, that’s the idea. I don’t mind starting over on the VO2 Max runs if I actually stay on track from now on.

Tempohell and VO2 Splat

0, 03mi, 04mi, tempo, vo2 max

Start time: 6/21/07, 7:30am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 8:31min/mile

Thursday’s tempo run (an 8:30min/mile pace) started out well enough; a bit fast, even, with the first three miles being 8:09, 8:28, and 8:33. Then somewhere around mile 4 I started slowing down bigtime, finally hitting the marker at (oof) 8:51. It was at that point I ended up declaring it quits. I was just tired and worn out; frustratingly because last week’s 5-mile tempo run had gone so well. I ended up walking about a quarter mile back, then jogged the rest in at a 10min/mile pace. Ah well, some runs are good, some… not so much.

Start time: 6/22/07, 7:45am
Location: Washington & Lee High School
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 10:00min/mile & 6:00min/mile

Today’s schedule was a VO2 Max run. Now, I’d only ever done one of these before, six weeks ago before the injury. So I knew eight reps was going to be right out. I’d figured if I could do six, though, I’d be delighted. Actual total? Three. It was through the third that I suddenly realized what I’d done horribly wrong, though. I hadn’t taken my allergy medicine (or my multivitamin but that’s not as much of an issue). Which would explain my breathing difficulties. Argh. Oh well, under the circumstances, getting three reps (exactly one mile at that speed) was a victory. Next time I’ll plan this out a little better.

After two great runs in Wilmington, though, two crappy runs? Pretty discouraging. I hope this does not bode badly for Sunday.

Two fast work-outs

0, 03mi, lactate threshold run, vo2 max

Start time: 5/11/07, 6:00pm
Location: McLean High School
Distance: ~3.25 miles
Average pace: 9:30min/mile & 6:20min/mile

Start time: 5/15/07, 6:00pm
Location: McLean High School
Distance: ~3.7 miles
Average pace: 9:30min/mile & 7:00min/mile

Last Friday was my first VO2 Max run, which was like last Tuesday’s Lactate Threshold Run… only faster. Well, that was the idea. Laura and I did it together again, but we were never able to nail our projected 6:00min/mile pace. We were always about 5 seconds off at the quarter mile mark, which actually places us around a 6:20min/mile pace. Still, not bad for four 2-minute bursts of speed the first time out of the gate.

Then, yesterday, was the return of the LTRs, but with 6 2-minute reps instead of just 4. That went really well… aside from the lower-calf problems I’ve been having for a few weeks with a general soreness/stiffness. I suspect that I’m going to have to take a couple of weeks off and see if that does the trick, as frustrating as it is. (It’s really hurting today, which is not good.) I’d rather have to take time off now than right before the marathon. *sigh* Not happy.