VO2max and VDOT
in running

VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can absorb and use during intense exercise, measured in ml/kg/min. It's considered the most important indicator of aerobic capacity and performance potential in endurance racing.

In practical terms: the higher your VO2max, the more oxygen your muscles receive, the more aerobic energy they produce and the faster you can run. Elite runners have VO2max between 70-85 ml/kg/min, while the average population is between 30-45. A lab spirometry test is the most accurate way to measure it — it will give you a good benchmark and also check that your health is in order.

The good news is that VO2max is highly trainable. With proper training, it's possible to improve by 15% to 20% in just a few months. And more importantly: you have a huge window for improvement. Many of today's top athletes are racing past age 30 — this shows you still have plenty of room to train and improve. It's entirely up to you.

VDOT is a concept created by Jack Daniels that works as a "functional VO2max." Instead of measuring in a lab, it estimates your aerobic capacity from your recent race time. It's more practical and often more useful than lab-measured VO2max because it accounts for your running economy — not just your cardiorespiratory capacity.

What time should you use to calculate your VDOT? Typically, your best time in the last 3 months at any distance. Take that time and use the calculator — it will identify the paces for your training. As you improve, test yourself again and update your paces.

From your VDOT, you can calculate the ideal paces for each type of workout: easy, marathon pace, threshold, interval (VO2max) and repetition (speed). Each pace has a specific physiological purpose, and running at the right pace is essential to maximize training benefits. Our VDOT calculator does this automatically.

Systematic training will have moments where workouts are harder than your current reality — a faster pace than what you started with. The training will automatically make you run faster. Beyond that, there will be specific moments to test yourself, with scheduled tests after each preparation period.

You're never always the same runner. Many people train for months at the same paces without testing and wonder why they've plateaued. Test yourself regularly and update your training paces. And on days you're feeling good, take the chance to push yourself — don't be afraid to set a PR in training. The world's greatest record-breaking athletes have done workouts very close to their race marks before competing. On race day, they simply showed the world what they'd already accomplished.

Record what's happening and look back. What was your training like before? What was your weekly volume? What pace did you run intervals at? You change quickly, and over time you may forget how hard certain things were that are now routine. Be patient — improvement takes time and consistency. In the beginning everything seems easy, but as you advance, it takes years to shave off mere seconds. And that's beautiful.