Oxygen and Running
Oxygen has the symbol O, representing Oxygen. 20.8% of air is normally oxygen, existing as two oxygen atoms bonded together – hence the name “O2”.
When you run, you need oxygen to generate energy for muscle work. Oxygen consumption can indicate how much your body works while running; more oxygen means higher intensity.
Oxygen consumption is measured with oxygen uptake equipment and is referred to as VO2. V stands for volume and O2 is oxygen. VO2 is typically defined in either “mL oxygen per minute” or “L oxygen per minute.”
Definition of VO2 max
The difference between “VO2” and “VO2 max” is simply that VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen you can consume per minute!
It's important to remember that VO2 max is generally higher for larger people, so you can't say a VO2 max of 4 L oxygen per minute is high or low. Larger people require more oxygen to run the same speed, like a big car generally uses more fuel than a small car.
Difference between VO2 max and Fitness Level
It gets a bit mixed up as we differentiate between “VO2 max” and “fitness level.” In English, fitness level is often referred to as “VO2 max” too! It's a bit confusing.
The fitness level attempts to compare different people's VO2 max. To balance the difference between larger and smaller people, “weight” is included in the equation. The fitness level is calculated as follows:
- Fitness Level = VO2 max (mL oxygen per minute) / weight (kg)
- Example:
- VO2 max = 4 L oxygen per minute = 4000 mL oxygen per minute
- Weight = 70 kg
- Fitness Level = VO2 max / Weight = 4000 mL oxygen per minute / 70 kg = 57 mL oxygen/min/kg
In the above calculation, we have a person weighing 70 kg with a VO2 max of 4L oxygen per minute. This person will have a fitness level of 57.
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Garmin's VO2 max
Looking at your , you can see that estimates your “VO2 max.” However, this value is NOT your maximum oxygen uptake but rather an estimate of your fitness level! Garmin has already considered your body weight. So, even though Garmin calls it “VO2 Max,” it is your fitness level or “Fitness level” shown on the Garmin watch.
What is a good VO2 Max / Fitness Level?
It's always hard to say what's good, as it depends on who you compare yourself with. If you want to be an elite runner, you can't use the table below – fitness levels need to be even higher!
However, if you want to know how your fitness level compares to the general population, here's an overview below.
For men:
For women:
Image source: Garmin
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