Fitness can be measured by the volume of oxygen you can consume while exercising at your maximum capacity. VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen in milliliters, one can use in one minute per kilogram of body weight. Those who are more fit have higher VO2 max values and can exercise more intensely than those who are not as well conditioned. Numerous studies show that you can increase your VO2 max by working out at an intensity that raises your heart rate to between 65 and 85% of its maximum for at least 20 minutes three to five times a week. A mean value of VO2 max for male athletes is about 3.5 litres/minute and for female athletes it is about 2.7 litres/minute. -- VO2 Max

I've been wanting to do a Vo2 test for a few years now. It turns out the latest Cascade Courier mailer had the catalyst I desired. Affordability.

Usually these things are around $250 on the cheap end. Real Rehab has a test that costs $125, and if you're a cascade member 20% off for a limited time.

So I jumped.

This would be a test that would give me my theoretical V02 max (you can only do a real V02 max by having a doctor on hand, and then they run you dangerously hard). I would also get to find out what my Power is. Power (measured in watts) is keyed up with your weight, to give you the popular Power to weight ratio.

To give an idea of what a good P/W ratio is, we can look to the book Lance Armstrong's War. In there Dr. Ferrari computes that a rider must have a P/W ratio of 6.7 to win the Tour de France. If I remember correctly, the book said that Lance Armstrong can generate around 450 watts, and during the Tour has a P/W ratio of 6.8 - 6.9.

One other thing. Professional cyclists generally have Vo2Max levels above 70.

The test itself was easy and rather quick. I was told to bring my bike and any gear I needed in (shoes).

After setting up the bike on the computrainer, I got a brief lesson in how to use my mask. Oh did I not mention the mask?

It's a neoprene style mask that you put over your nose and mouth. It helps so that all the air you suck will be out of a tube that is attached.

This really is no big deal at all, and you can suck in as much air at any time that you need. It's also reusable so I can bring it back for future testing.

The test setup is your bike on the trainer, and then two laptops. One laptop has the Vo2 software running, and the other had the Power software running on it.

With your mask on and hooked up, and a heart rate monitor strap attached (around your torso), you're ready to start.

After a quick calibration, you're told that your main job will be to watch the monitor and to keep your cadence above 80.

What happens now, is that each minute the tension increases, which will make it harder to pedal. I lasted just over 8.5 minutes. This isn't to say that I couldn't go anymore. What I think it meant was it only took that long to determine what my ranges are. Typical tests last 8-12 min.

Throughout the whole time though the speed and cadence was pretty much constant. Just the intensity increased. My heart rate started around 120bpm, and by the time I was done was around 165bpm.

Here are the results:

Weight: 183lb ( 83 kg) Vo2max = 54 ml/kg/min Power = 260w (threshold) 280w (peak V02) P/W ratio = 260/83 = 3.13 Calories burnt/min : 11.6

So first off I'm not going to be racing the Tour de France. Ever.

V02 has a weight component in it, so you can play with that number, but only to a certain extent. If I were to shed 20 pounds I'd still only add a few points to the V02max number, perhaps pushing it over 60. On the other hand, the link at the top says that for my age I have a 'Superior' Vo2Max.

As far as power goes, I'm a little surprised that I couldn't generate more. We'll have to work on that for sure. More squats for me.

So what does this all really mean in the grand scheme of things? Yeah, I'm not an elite professional, but it looks like I have the potential for some pretty decent things in the local race scene.

The trainer said that above 300w you'd likely be a cat 2 racer. 300-350 and you can do decently as a cat1. The big thing that is a factor here is weight. In general, above 300 means you are an elite level competitor. 400 means you're a professional getting sponsored and such.

Power can go up which is related to your threshold. Proper training on the bike, and some resistance training can make the wattage increase. Do this over a few years and you're getting some decent numbers.

As for right now, he said I could probably get by in a cat3 race and not to forget there are other things in a race than just sheer power. Pedaling efficency, bike handling, tactics, riding in a group, sprinting, etc.

I'm not sure if that's the equivalent of "Well she has a nice personality" or what. It does sound hopeful though.

That's all for now.