Cardio Fitness Testing

I went in for a Cycling and Running VO2 test with Texas Triple Threat yesterday afternoon.  I was very encouraged by the results.

I’ve been running for few years but only seriously biking for a few months.  That definitely showed up in the results.  I have a lot less control on the bike but an excellent base on the run.  I was pleasantly surprised by my performance on the run.  But it makes sense because I started out slow and have been gradually increasing my speed over the past few years.  I’ve heard it said, “It’s all about the base.”  That is so true.

So what do I do with this information?  The best part is that I get to increase my speed on my run workouts.  I need to do steady state workouts at a HR between 153 and 162.  I’ve been doing my long and easy runs in the mid- to high-140s between 11:00 and 11:30 per mile pace.  I should be able to do those workouts at a 10:00 or faster pace going forward.  At the same time, I need to pull back on my running and get more bike workouts into my schedule, as well as swimming and strength training.  I also need to slow down on the bike and work on building my base in that discipline for a while.  This next week, I’ll put together my new training plan and have a consultation with Coach KW to go over it.

I highly encourage you to go in for this testing.  I did mine with Texas Triple Threat, but there are other groups such as PlayTri that will test you, as well.  It will help you determine where you are fitness-wise and what your training schedule should look like.  Who knows?  You may be in better shape than you thought.

jb