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I can run longer and faster without struggling or feeling out of breath, yet my watch says my VO2 is dropping. How accurate is it? (alien.top)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I have been running for a few months (34m), and I can feel I have become more fit when it comes to how I feel and achieve while running. Now my session is more than double the time than when I started, and even when I end it, I would still be in zone 2 as my heart rate and breath rate are lower, unlike when I began running and I would always find myself at zone 4 by half the time (similar pace). Even when I try to run faster, I can do so for longer than before.

Yet, my VO2 max has dropped from 39.8 to 37.8! I would get very surprised every time I see it drop. Why would that be?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I think the only useful information for VO2max is when you open the yearly graph and then you can see the trends. Otherwise, day-to-day, not accurate. Needs maybe a month of training to spit out a remotely useful number.

But speaking of this - VO2max of around 40 sounds about right, if you're not super active, running a few months. It's not really an indication of durability, how long you've run. The estimate is more about how much energy you can spend for a given heart rate.

In a year or so, if add some sprints, HIIT, hills, you'll be 50ish and rising :)