W6R2 - loving it

[tohealthyhabits]

Feel amazing. After running TWO W6R1s to get used to, today was my W6R2.

I plan to run W6R2 again before W6R3. I need all the prep and I am loving it.

Hope I can add more distance. Btw, is anyone tracking VO2 Max ? Any advice please to improve this?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Without a torturous exercise session and some scientists looking at your heart rate and analysing your breathing, VO2max is a little bit of a guess in your watches part. The way to improve it is the same though, lots of cardio. So, running! This is one of the things the programme is doing to you.

There are ways to peak it faster, but they’re very high intensity and I wouldn’t recommend them alongside C25K.

Graduate first, then worry about distance... run smart and keep the pace down in most runs after graduating. You’re starting to run... peak running fitness takes up to 7 years to achieve.

Great job on the plan so far.

[tohealthyhabits Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you. I was thinking that instead of specific data points on VO2 max, I would like to watch my trend line as a part of the training program. Thinking along the lines of the More information, the better it is to plan if want to repeat a week to may be add more pace

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to tohealthyhabits]

I dunno we need to get hung up on the stats though. Or pace.

If you’re doing C25K pace is your enemy. I’m assuming that you have some knowledge of the terminology as you’re into VO2max so, what we are looking at is becoming a runner. Good runners have lots of “recovery runs”. These runs are important as they build mileage and maintain/improve muscle conditioning. C25K ideally is 27 recovery runs, some as intervals. VO2max is beyond race pace, 90% max effort... it’s not something you’ll hit in a recovery run, and you shouldn’t hit it on this programme.

You’re much better off waiting... build the legs with a slow programme, build your endurance. Injecting pace early actually slows the building process. Having great VO2max isn’t going to get you round a 5k course without the conditioning and endurance.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Forget VO2max - come back to us after you've been regularly for 2 years and we'll talk about it

Forget pace.

Forget distance.

C25K is a time-based program - the aim of which is to run (JOG!) 3x 30 mins by the end of 9 weeks.

And why are you repeating the runs if you're running each one without any trouble? I suggest that you just move on to the next one, get through Week 9, graduate and then consolidate for a few weeks. After that, *then* you make plans to increase distance and/or your pace. But VO2max? It's completely irrelevant to you at this stage!

Good luck!

John

[tohealthyhabits Graduate in reply to John_W]

Agreed. Wow tough crowd 😁my watch started estimating VO2 max lately as the run-times are longer than in the first few weeks. It never showed V02 max during the first few weeks.

It appears that the runs are challenging enough to become intensive enough to record VO2 Max.

The thought here is, in addition to the comfort level one feels, through this routine, is there an optimal V02 max range when you can elevate either pace or distance to the next level. An academic exercise..

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to tohealthyhabits]

"is there an optimal V02 max range when you can elevate either pace or distance to the next level? "

The answer is NO.

VO2max is *NOT* indicator of when to up your training. It's simply a marker of how much oxygen you can transport around your body. There's a strong genetic component (from your Mum) that determines your VO2max and it can be improved by approx. 15%.

There's no advice to improve it other than to complete C25K (VO2max will increase slowly as you progress), consolidate for a few weeks and then assess how you want to progress.

VO2max is **NOT** an indicator of how robust your musculoskeletal system is - you could up your pace and/or distance right now but you'll likely get injured (even though your VO2max might look great). Did you know it takes 18months-2 years of regular running for the body to fully adapt to the rigours of it?

I restarted running early 2015 (with C25K) after a 25yr break - up until April this year, I ran regularly to that point and ran the London Marathon - my 1st marathon. It was only during my training that I got interested in VO2max - 3 years after starting C25K! So one good way of improving your VO2max.... MARATHON TRAINING

Good luck!

[tohealthyhabits Graduate in reply to John_W]

Wow... tough crowd !

At this moment, I do not have any target VO2 max targets, but I realized my watch is picking up estimated VO2 max as I am climbing the C25k weeks (I did NOT have any VO2 reading during first couple of weeks) and it appears there is a trend indicating the intensity increase as I am progressing in both time and distance I run (excluding the walks). I think I should be able to repeat the weeks and speed up to increase the observed VO2... just an academic exercise at the moment.

I want to plot the observed/estimated VO2 against my runs every week out of curiosity, as I am certain that my watch will pickup VO2 during every run, this point on.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to tohealthyhabits]

"I want to plot the observed/estimated VO2 against my runs every week out of curiosity, as I am certain that my watch will pickup VO2 during every run, this point on."

It's telling you that the maximum volume of oxygen you can transport around your body is increasing while you're doing C25K? Impressive! Your heart is getting stronger and you're getting fitter.

Carry on!