Aaron Said...

Today I went to Peak Fitness & Performance to get my VO2 Max tested. I was a bit apprehensive going into it. This was to be expected though; I commonly get a little anxious over the unknown. What if I am too weak to really push? What if it is crazy low indicating that I am tapped out? What if it is high and I should be better than I am but I am too lazy? What if...

This was my first test of this kind, but I went into knowing that I would have to breath into a mask while riding. The mask not comfortable but it did not appear to restrict my breathing. Aaron said that was a possibility, but I did not perceive it.

So the test starts off pretty easy and it progressively gets harder. My test did not seem so progressive. As soon as Aaron said to start shifting down, it got hard pretty quickly. I think I only lasted six "hard" minutes.

When Aaron said two minutes left I tried to keep my cadence up, but I was too weak. I caved almost as soon as Aaron said I could stop as soon as it got too difficult.

In the end, my maximum oxygen uptake was 61.4 ml O2/kg/min. Aaron said I have my mom to thank for this. VO2 max is inherited primarily from mothers. So "Thanks Mom."

During the test

Before the hard stuff

The test yielded a lot of interesting information. It gave me personalized workout zones and caloric expenditures at aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. This will give my workouts and training a little bit more meaning. It also lets me know what actually constitutes a "recovery workout". Pretty cool stuff.