I recently completed a running VO2 max test as part of a friend's PhD project and it gave me some very interesting results.
For reference, I come from a swimming background but I would call myself an above-average runner with a 34:02 10km and a 16:30 5km. However, compared to the guys I race against, running is my weakest discipline.
Now onto the test.
I scored 70.7 ml/min/kg as my VO2max, a pretty good score. But then, after some results processing, my running economy came out as an abysmal 253 ml/kg/km (170 is considered excellent, 210 is considered poor).
The test was done straight after a fairly hard swim and I'm about a quarter of the way through a 100runs/100days block.
So my main question is, how do I improve economy? My technique is fairly good, midfoot strike under my centre of mass, good extension behind, no dropping of hips, minimal upper body movement. Is it trainable? Genetic? Technique based?
Thanks for any advice.
For reference, I come from a swimming background but I would call myself an above-average runner with a 34:02 10km and a 16:30 5km. However, compared to the guys I race against, running is my weakest discipline.
Now onto the test.
I scored 70.7 ml/min/kg as my VO2max, a pretty good score. But then, after some results processing, my running economy came out as an abysmal 253 ml/kg/km (170 is considered excellent, 210 is considered poor).
The test was done straight after a fairly hard swim and I'm about a quarter of the way through a 100runs/100days block.
So my main question is, how do I improve economy? My technique is fairly good, midfoot strike under my centre of mass, good extension behind, no dropping of hips, minimal upper body movement. Is it trainable? Genetic? Technique based?
Thanks for any advice.