Thank You Laura Dudes
Martin Phillips and I had VO2 Max tests administered by
Coach Adam and Fitness Concepts. In a VO2 Max test, Coach Adam straps a mask over my face and a machine analyzes my breath as I pedal my bicycle in a stationary trainer. He started the resistance off at 100 watts and increased it at 20 or 30 watt intervals. From the air we breath out, the machine can determine how efficient we are at burning fat versus carbohydrates and what heart rate zone we are at our aerobic peak and at what point our body switches from Aerobic to Anaerobic. This helps us train much more efficiently.
On a side note, at Stevens Tech, we did the exact same thing, only we were analyzing the combustion in a furnace. We sampled the gases going up the chimney to determine the efficiency and the fuel mix(If I remember right we were using two fuels with different heating values). The teaching assistant was awe-inspiringly beautiful, she was much smarter than I was, and she treated me with the respect of a colleague. I had a minor crush on her. But I digress...
Here are the VO2Max Results with the % improvement over the 2003 results:
| Power | %Impr | HR | VO2 (mL/kg/min) | %Impr |
| Aerobic Threshold | 180 Watts | 29% | 163 | 29.2 | 14% |
Anaerobic Threshold| 270 Watts | 12.5% | 194 | 43.9 | 11% |
| Max | 330 Watts | 18% | 205 | 60.1 | 30% |
In addition, I became more efficient at burning fat as a fuel source which bodes well for RAAM as I have a nearly unlimited supply. For comparison, Lance Armstrong has a VO2 Max of 83.8 mL/kg/min and he puts out 600 watts at max
(According to his site). I think the average VO2 Max for someone my age (and Lance's age) is around 40.
