VO2-to-the-max summary. Warning: Bike geekiness ahead!

I finally got the last bit of data on the V02 max study I participated in at TCU (which BTW is one of the most read posts on this blog).

Highest VO2 during the test: 65.2 ml/kg/min

Highest avg. watts for the ~40 minute TT:  302

I no longer train with power, so I can’t tell you exactly what my lactate threshold wattage is right now. However, the TT course for the TCU study was pretty hilly, so I’m assuming my normalized power would have been around 320 watts. So I’d guess that my threshold is hovering around 300-305 watts.  However, my average HR for that effort was only 173 bpm, so I probably left some in the tank. But wait! There’s more . . .

The study also checked blood lactate levels and according to those tests my threshold is north of 320 watts at a HR of 180 bpm.  This is pretty consistent with what I saw in my first 40K TT this summer (my HR for the hour effort was 175 bpm).

Pro Cyclist Bradley Wiggins

I would also like to squash any doping rumors (no one that’s raced with me would accuse me of blood doping, but it sounds impressive).  My hematocrit levels are ~48%, which is well below the UCI’s 50% threshold of suspicion (but 300 basis points above Tour de France 4th place finisher, Olympic gold medalist and Garmin-TT-monster Bradley Wiggins).

So what does all of this mean . . . nothing really, but participating in the study was a fun experience:

• The grad students in the lab were great to hang out with (even if they were obsessed with what I had on my iPod for the tests).
• I got info that would normally costs hundreds to have done privately.
• I’m going to be a little more aggressive with my TT/threshold pace with the confidence that my body can handle it; however, the idea of riding an hour TT at 180 bpm doesn’t sound like fun.

Maybe I can put some of this info to good use inflecting some torture this weekend at our annual ThinkCash PainTrain Cycling Camp.