Oxygen and Running
Oxygen has the symbol O, which stands for Oxygen. 20.8% of the air is under normal conditions oxygen, and here the oxygen is found in a way where there are two oxygen atoms bound together – hence it's called “O2”.
When you run, you need oxygen, among other things, to generate energy for muscle work. Oxygen consumption can therefore be used to determine how much your body works when you run; and the more oxygen you use, the higher the intensity.
Oxygen consumption is measured with oxygen uptake equipment and is denoted as VO2. V stands for volume and O2 is, as mentioned, 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 quite simply that VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen you can consume in a minute!
It's important to remember in this context that VO2 max will generally be higher for larger people, and so you can't necessarily say, for instance, that a VO2 max of 4 L oxygen per minute is high or low. Larger people naturally require more oxygen to run at the same speed, just as a large car generally uses more fuel than a small car.
The Difference Between VO2 max and Fitness Level
Where it gets a bit confusing is that in Danish we distinguish between “VO2 max” and “fitness level.” In English, fitness level is referred to as “fitness level,” but often you also see fitness level referred to as VO2 max in English! It's a bit confusing.
The fitness level is a way to try to compare different people's VO2 max. To try to balance the difference between larger and smaller people, “weight” is included in the equation. The fitness level is therefore 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 example, we have a person weighing 70 kg and 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.” The value you see here is NOT your maximal oxygen uptake but rather an estimate of your fitness level! Garmin has already accounted for your body weight. So even though Garmin calls it “VO2 Max,” it is your fitness level or “Fitness level” displayed on the Garmin watch.
What is a Good VO2 Max / Good Fitness Level?
It's always hard to say what is good and what is not so good; it largely depends on who you compare yourself with. If you want to be an elite runner, you cannot use the table below – the fitness level needs to be even higher!
If, however, you want to know how your fitness level compares to the general population, here is an overview.
For men:
For women:
Image source: Garmin
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