V02 Max and Race Results

[DW2023]

Hello,

It's pretty obvious from the Runalyze website that race results are seen as better predictors of VO2 Max than training runs but I can't see any explanation as to why. Is it just that an official race will have a more accurate distance associated with it than a GPS tracked training run?

It's not practical for me to enter races but I am keen to incorporate the elements of a race that make them good for VO2 Max estimates into my training runs if possible. For example, I could do my training runs on a measured running track (accurate distance) instead of along a random footpath.

Thanks.

[mipapo]

You push your limits in competitions, so they are perfect for calculating a correction factor.

[DW2023]

You push your limits in competitions, so they are perfect for calculating a correction factor.

That was my original idea, but i thought it would be fairly easy to "push my limit" without having to do an official race, so I figured I must be missing something. Why doesn't Runalyze have an option to mark a run as "all out effort" or "VO2 Max Test" or something, rather than just "race", if that's really the case? i'll be happy if that is the case, though, because it will be much easier to occasionally go all out and push myself to the limit running along the canal, and just mark it as a race, than it will be to measure the distance that i did this over more accurately than GPS.

[mipapo]

You can adjust your effective vo2max at any time manually: https://runalyze.com/my/running-performance-status - No need to mark a run as "Test"

[LoisDuncan]

Yes, race results are better predictors than VO2 Max because of more accurate distance measurement and maximum effort focus. You can try to choose precisely measured workouts and increase your running intensity to improve your VO2 Max prediction.