I did my first ever VO2Max and lactate tests last summer and it turns out my VO2Max was high, but my thresholds were low – I've spent a lot of time since trying to right shift the curve, and I'd like to start getting tested on an annual basis to see how/if I'm improving.

My question is, if I'm only testing once a year, when is a good time to test? After winter base training, or between races in summer when fitness will be higher? Or late season? Or some other time?

I have a tendency to geek out too hard so I've promised myself to limit testing to once a year, at least for now. It's pretty expensive too. I could save cash in the long run by buying a lactate meter – I know – but I like the whole birthday boy feeling getting pampered with a needle on the treadmill, and leaving with a sheet of paper with a nice graph I can show my wife.

I asked the coach doing the test but he's legally obliged to say that testing as often as possible is always the best for their bottom line, ehrm, to opitmise my performance