Cooper 12min run test

Well Mike had me do my first run test in ages - what a session to start the week with! Last time I ran this was in Nov 09 - I thought I did it in early 10 but I cannot find any reference in my blog - and I managed 2110m when I did it.....


Well today's session consisted of:


15min warm up - 10mins easy then 3x30sec build/30sec easy followed by 2min easy
12min MAX effort
5min cool down followed by stretching


This is the Cooper 12 minute assessment it is a surrogate way of identifying VO2max - it is meant to be conducted on a flat running track - The roads around here are fairly flat and I managed 2560m in the 12mins, makes me above average as an athlete for my age :-) not bad for a 15hr18min IRONMAN plus my max HR was 187 

The following table rates performance for athletes:

Age	Excellent	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
Male 20-29	>2800m	2400-2800m	2200-2399m	1600-2199m	<1600m
Females 20-29	>2700m	2200-2700m	1800-2199m	1500-1799m	<1500m
Males 30-39	>2700m	2300-2700m	1900-2299m	1500-1999m	<1500m
Females 30-39	>2500m	2000-2500m	1700-1999m	1400-1699m	<1400m
Males 40-49	>2500m	2100-2500m	1700-2099m	1400-1699m	<1400m
Females 40-49	>2300m	1900-2300m	1500-1899m	1200-1499m	<1200m
Males >50	>2400m	2000-2400m	1600-1999m	1300-1599m	<1300m
Females >50	>2200m	1700-2200m	1400-1699m	1100-1399m	<1100m

VO2 max

An estimate of your VO2 max can be calculated as follows:

• (Distance covered in metres - 504.9) ÷ 44.73

My VO2max was 45.94ml/kg/min (which puts me in the excellent bracket)


From Wiki:


Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) is widely accepted as the single best measure of cardiovascular fitness and maximal aerobic power. Absolute values of VO₂max are typically 40-60% higher in men than in women.”^[1] Clearly, then, VO₂max varies considerably in the population, with sex being a primary determining factor in this variability.

The average young untrained male will have a VO₂ max of approximately 3.5 litres/minute and 45 ml/kg/min.^[2] The average young untrained female will score a VO₂ max of approximately 2.0 litres/minute and 38 ml/kg/min.^{[citation needed]} These scores can improve with training and decrease with age, though the degree of trainability also varies very widely: conditioning may double VO₂max in some individuals, and will never improve it at all in others.^[3][4]

In sports where endurance is an important component in performance, such as cycling, rowing, cross-country skiing, swimming and running, world class athletes typically have high VO₂ maximums. World class male athletes, cyclists and cross-country skiers typically exceed 75 ml/kg/min and a rare few may exceed 85 ml/kg/min for men and 70 ml/kg/min for women.^{[citation needed]} Five time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain is reported to have had a VO₂ max of 88.0 at his peak [1], while cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie measured at an astounding 96 ml/kg/min.^[5] Dæhlie's result was achieved out of season, and physiologist Erlend Hem who was responsible for the testing stated that he would not discount the possibility of the skier passing 100 ml/kg/min at his absolute peak. By comparison a competitive club athlete might achieve a VO₂ max of around 70 ml/kg/min.^[2]World class rowers are physically very large endurance athletes and typically do not score as high on a per weight basis, but often score exceptionally high in absolute terms. Male rowers typically score VO₂ maximums over 6 litres/minute, and some exceptional individuals have exceeded 8 l/min.

To put this into perspective, thoroughbred horses have a VO₂ max of around 180 ml/kg/min. Siberian dogs running in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race sled race have VO₂ values as high as 240 ml/kg/min.^[6]