Don't Try This at Home

Last week I noticed a flyer at my Y that said "free fitness testing 12/26-12/30."  Since I like tests, I headed downstairs to the training desk to ask just what would be done.  I was told they might do a body fat measurement with calipers, and I think they mentioned a VO2Max test.  In 1999, I had a pretty good workup done of body fat, VO2Max, strength, flexibility and maybe some other things.  I have the printout someplace.  I found out that the person conducting the test would be John, the son of one of the Directors at the Y, and I've spoken to John numerous time.  He's majoring in Exercise Physiology in college, and he runs track for his school and is quite good.  He qualified for Boston at his first marathon, and I don't remember just how we met, but I think he flagged me down one day when I was on a treadmill for at least a couple of hours.

Two days ago, John called me to schedule my test, so I decided on yesterday morning at 7AM.  I would have started earlier, but since he was just going into the Y to do these tests, I figured I'd let a college kid sleep in.  I arrived a few minutes early and John a few minutes late, and he had to go find the key to the training room, so while he did that, I wandered around, went up and down the stairs a few times, and just chilled.

First they (another trainer, Shawn, was working with John) measured my height, then they put me on the Tanita scale for weight and body fat measurement.  I hadn’t weighed myself in a few months and wasn’t looking forward to this, but it was just fine.  113.  Tanita said my body fat is 21%, but we know it’s wrong.  I feel like I am around 15%, maybe a tad lower, based on how visible my abs are, but I could be wrong.  Blood pressure was taken, and was a bit off since I’d been awake since 3AM and had had coffee.  Resting pulse 56.  They asked me what my true resting HR is and I think last time I checked something below 45.  Next we headed to the cardio room for the VO2Max test.

I was asked to warm up on the treadmill for maybe 5 minutes or so, and then we began the test.  They would record my RPE and HR.  Obviously this isn’t the most accurate test protocol, but it’s sufficient.  For the first interval, I reported an RPE of negative 6!  John thought the test would take a long time for me, but I told him I’m bradycardic, and that we’d see a quick jump in my HR at some point.  Plus I hadn’t done any high HR stuff in almost a full year!  Plus I was still recovering from Saturday’s workout.  At any rate, predictably at whatever the highest incline they had me at and speed, my HR jumped, we held that for a bit, and then the test was over.  After the calculations were done, my VO2Max estimate was 57.  This made sense, since I’d had it measured in 1999 at 58.  Even allowing for standard deviation, that’s a good number for someone my age.  Now, I don’t live up to the charts for predicted 5K time based on VO2Max, but I believe that my combination of bradycardia and high VO2Max is what makes me good at the long distance stuff.

After the VO2Max test, they measured my hamstring flexibility (very high as expected) and my waist to hip ratio (.71—they were laughing when they did this).  Shawn commented that I should be put into a lab and studied, and I would be happy to do this.  I once tried to get into the Gatorade Institute which is not too far from me.  But I am sure that many of my long distance friends are also blessed with hefty VO2Max numbers.  I am happy that effectively I haven’t “lost” any VO2Max points in 12 years.  Now back in 1999 when I had it measured, I had just quit smoking 3 months prior, and I’d been running all of one year.  What does this tell me?  My VO2Max is somewhat genetic.  So all I can say is that I am trying my best to live up to it!

When we were all done, I headed to the track to knock out a couple of miles.  There was a woman running that looked to be doing an easy pace, so I just glued myself to her.  I don’t know if this bothered her or not—I wasn’t trying to give an impression that I was faster than her for sure, especially since I had some nice lactate in my legs.  I made myself run right with her, figuring she was running just below 9mpm, and I was right.  She abruptly stopped after ¾ mile, and I kept going, and picked up my pace a bit.  Then I headed to the assisted pullup machine and knocked out a bunch of pull-ups and triceps dips, then it was home to work.

Just before noon, I did a 1:15 trainer ride that wasn’t too pleasant, but it was short, so I can’t complain, and then later in the afternoon I did a :45 strength session.

It feels good now that I’m in a full bike and run taper for next week’s running festival, and I’m looking forward to my 15k swim on Saturday, or however far I get in 5 hours.  I am also looking forward to 2 weeks from now doing some higher intensity running and biking, now that I reminded my heart that it can beat a whole lot faster when I need it to!

Happy impending New Year!