VO 2 Max Test Fun

I saw a post on FB that KU med was looking for participants in a study.  Part of the study involved having your VO2 max taken.  If one wanted to have this done it would normally cost money to have done but since I agreed to be part of their research it was free.  I thought it would be fun to do and wanted to know what my VO2 max was.  It was kinda fun, I really know how to have a good time.

VO2 max - Considered the best indicator of cardiovascular endurance, it is the maximum amount of oxygen (mL) that a person can use in one minute per kilogram of body weight.

The study was to test the accuracy of a sub max test on a recumbent bike.  The idea being that you could predict what a stroke patient VO2 max was by doing a sub max test on a recumbent bike.   First I came in on 2 separate days and did the sub max test on the recumbent bike.   Then on the 3rd day I came in and did the VO2 max test on the treadmill.  I assume they then compare the data.

I felt silly asking to have my picture taken but apparently almost everyone who participates wants their picture taken.  You can see why.

They hook up about 10 electrodes all around your chest to monitor your heart.  That's what all those wires are coming out of the bottom of my shirt.  Then they fit you with head gear to help hold up the tube you have to breath through during the test.  They clip your nose shut so they can collect data on all the air you breath out and a blood pressure cuff so they can take it 3 times during the test.

I was told the whole test would take 10-15 minutes and would end either when I said to stop, when I hit my max and plateaued or you know had a heart attack or something, haha.

It's more about incline than speed.  You start with 3 minutes at walking up a small incline they then increase the incline and speed every 3 minutes.  I switched from walking to a run at the 6 minute mark and the incline was crazy at the end.

I went 12:27 and was like I'm done but he said he was about to cut it anyway since it looked like I had plateaued.

I maxed at 49 which according to charts is excellent for a 35 year old women and puts me in about the 97th percentile of 30-39 year old women.   Yes, i'm pleased with this.

Past Week

Miles Ran: 48

Time spent Running: 6:40

Time spent lifting: 1:30 still only went once this week

One cycle class: :50 

 Last time teaching the class.  Mostly because driving to a gym that was 20 minutes away with Gretchen after she had been in preschool all day was really just not working for us.  Partly because pretending I was super upbeat and excited to teach the class was hurting my head.

I'm happy with the miles I got in for the week especially with the temps being above 90 most afternoons this week.  I had a 15 mile long run that was good, but hot and humid.  Temps been a little lower and if that pesky women wouldn't of stopped me I may have felt like pushing it a few more miles.

In the interest of safe running I have been wearing sunscreen on all my runs this week.

For the first time ever I have nice looking feet.  Thanks Heather.  I'm sure this won't last long but was gifted a professionl pedicure and manicure.  I was nervous about having this done because apparently completely normal things scare me.  

Running Safety

Was out running on a trail today and had a women who was with a man I assume was her husband stop me.  She then immediately start to suggest I wasn't being safe running on the trail by myself.  I immediately started running again before my natural instincts took over and I started saying not nice things or punched her in the face(kidding.)  Now I'm sure some people reading this will think how nice, she was concerned for your safety.  But I find it infuriating that someone would suggest that I don't consider my own safety just because I'm out running by myself.

While finding someone who wanted to run in the same limited time frame I have to run at a 7:30 - 8:30 pace would be great I don't think that is going to happen.  So I really don't have a choice in the by myself department and I don't need some women shoving it in my face that her husband apparently has nothing better to do than go with her on all her workouts.

I know bad things can happen but bad things happen in many other different situations everyday all the effing time.    

Tried to find stats on bad things that will happen to me while running but can't find any definitive facts.  But from what I've read and an episode of 20/20 I vaguely remember from a few years ago when female runners are murdered it's usually the husband, so safe there.   I am more likely to be hit by a car than raped but more likely to be raped than killed when hit by said car.

When this women approached me we were on a safe trail( as in I wasn't running the Trolly trail by Troost.)   It was mid morning, I don't run in the dark by myself.  I do pay attention to my surroundings and was offended that she thought I wasn't. I always have my phone on me.   I have and still consider carrying mace but that has more to do with reading about stray unfriendly dogs on some trails than humans.   Now even though I run on a safe trail you never know.  Except for this women I have never been bothered on the trail.  The same can't be said when I run on the streets.  She thought I wasn't being safe because no there is not a ton of people on the trail but on the road there is lots of people.  I have to constantly look out for drivers texting and not paying attention.  At least once every other run I either get honked at or some guy lets me know what a " nice ass" I have.   Once I had a guy jump out of his car and come after me.  Once I was running with another girl and a guy drove by shot and hit her with a paint ball.  

Point is bad things happen but you can't live your life worrying about everything that could go wrong.  I'm guessing this women isn't going up to people eating donuts warning them about how diabetes kills.

Bubble Bubble

So this week did not go as planned.   My days of dog ownership are over for good.  We got a new pet I think we can handle and if not who cares, it's a fish.  His name is Bubble.

Miles ran:  31.5 missed my 15 mile run.  Really didn't have a choice.

Time spent running:  4:15

Time spent lifting: 1:15 Also missed my 2nd weight workout

One cycle class: 0:50

My diet was defiantly not better and possibly worse than last week.  Don't care at this point.

Only plan for this week:  Run as many miles as I can without injuring myself.

I am more excited than one should be about this new Quick Trip about to open right by the trail I like to run.  Icy cold drinks after running, yes!  Maybe using their bathroom instead of the port o potty, definitely yes!

Thanks for the note, family I waited on.  I like nice notes.

Week in Review and 50 mile Training

Miles Ran:  41.5
Time Spent Running: 6:10

Time Spent Lifting: 1:30
One Cycle Class: :50

Took the day off from workouts after a solid 7 days on.  Only 3 more weeks of heavy high mileage workouts before it's just better to taper off for the race.  It's a super short training time for the race but if I do it all right probably better than extra weeks of doing it all wrong.

Plans for this week:

46 miles including a long run of at least 15 miles followed by a 10 mile day
3 hours of lifting
Nightly foam rolling
Improve the diet

While as long as I am running 40+ miles a week I can literally eat whatever and not gain weight.  I would probably run a lot better though if I tried meeting my bodies nutritional needs.  For over the past week I've managed to cook 0 times.  Living off of protein bars, beer and whatever free food is available at work for the day.  On the plus side I have no dirty dishes however my body may not be loving it.

Breakfast of Champions.*

* This is a joke.  I'm not drinking beer for breakfast.

1000 Miles and Stuff

Randomly decided to add up all my miles this morning.  Apparently I hit the 1000 mile mark yesterday on the treadmill when I was warming up for weights at the gym.    If I was getting excited about things I think this would be something I would get excited about.   Puts me on track for exceeding last years miles of 1328 but I little behind for hitting over 2000 for the year.  Though 2000 is still completely doable especially since my schedule is now a lot better for fitting in running time than it was the first 5 months of the year.  No more 2 hours on the gym treadmill while Gretchen is in child watch.  Hard to do because it's boring and Gretchen isn't always into child watch.  

I need some 1000 mile cake.

Recently I've been thinking about all my silly running and whats the point.  I mean it costs money,  I have to pay for the race and take the day or in some cases two days off work.  If it's a longer race trying to carry trays of food up stairs the next day could be a scary situation.  I have to have someone watch my daughter.  That someone usually being my mom who already watches her many weekends so I can work.

I'm pretty good at it, not great or anything but pretty good.  I think I can be even better if I kicked up my training a notch.  I always feel like I undertrained for races.  But whats the point.  No one really cares if I can place at races or what my time was.  It's not going to make any money get me a good job or a date.  

  

The only point is that I like it.  I guess that's enough and of course I did just sign up for another race.  Since that is what I really wanted to do and looking at the current list of entrants I think I could win.   Could also DNF, I mean its 50 miles you never know.

Thanks Kid

So sometimes you have a shitty week, and then some kid, probably 19 or 20 but I'm technically old enough to be his mom so kid, comes up to you and treats you like a rock star.  

 After having a particularly shitty week I completely skipped 2 days of workouts then finally forced myself to the trail Sunday after work.  As I was sitting in my car with the door open messing with my phone a young guy came over was all I'm so sorry to bother you but I saw the 50m and 50k stickers on your car.  Then proceeded to ask a bunch of questions about distance running and told me how cool it was that I ran those races.  We talked maybe 5-10 minutes but made me feel cool and helpful.  

I then ran 4 miles at a 7:30 pace that didn't feel hard and decided to go ahead and sign up for that 50 mile race in September  I've been mulling over.  

I'll be running the Hawk Hundred on September 13th.  I'll be doing the 50 mile version, not quite ready for 100 yet.  It's trail so should be a bit more of a challenge than the flat 50 miles I ran back in March.  

Signing up tonight gives me the optimal 6 weeks of training time one usually likes for 50 mile races.  I'm sure it will be fine,  I'm kinda on a roll for races this year so shouldn't stop now.  

Picture from trail so this post would have a picture.  Hi cat face.