VO2max and training status stuck for months, running suggestions way off

My VO2max has now been stuck to 62 since July, it doesn't move at all no matter how well (or bad) my running goes. The performance condition set during the runs may be anything between +10...-5, with averages well above 0 or under 0. The VO2max still won't change.

My training status has been "Maintaining" since August. The acute load has varied from ~500 to above 1000, it typically stays in the optimal range. Doesn't change the training status either.

The race prediction time corrected with the v23.10 also stay within 2 s (at least for the 5k). They now seem realistic and this is a huge improvement after the v23.00. I don't know if the race prediction times should move a little like they used to (I don't mean like 5min for 5k like they did with v23.00)?

The target pace and heart rate of the running suggestions have been way off since the v23.10. As an example, for a base running exercise my target pace is now 5:00 min/km and HR 140bpm. These values don't match at all. 5:00min/km is a recovery pace for me, my average HR for 5k a 5:00min/km is under 125bpm. The fast limit of the pace is 4:31 min/km, I can't remember the low limit. HR range is 126 to 151. Now if I run 10k at 4:31min/km (fast limit), my average HR is around 130. If I run at average HR 151 (upper limit) I go under 4:00min/km. In the earlier sw-versions these (target pace and HR) used to be close to each other and realistic. The target pace and HR haven't moved since I got v23.10, they are stuck as well. Due to this, the running suggestions are of no value to me anymore. They also don't stand for the load focus either.

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0 jv20 over 2 years ago

I have it like this too.

My training status has been only maintenance for half a year, even though My trainings is anaerobic. My VO2MAX remains the same ....

My workouts look like this ...

0 3389109 over 2 years ago

Did some more "testing". Went for a trail run in rough terrain but decided to use "Run"-workout instead of "Trail run" without VO2max estimate. Did the run at same average HR as my normal road base run. The pace was 1min per km lower. No reaction from the watch, still the same training status (maintaining), same race pace predictions and same VO2max.

Another test was to go for a run without the HR-strap. We all know the wrist-HR accuracy on these watches is a joke, and that's exactly what happened... Also the GPS pace jumps around quite a bit and is not able to react to quick changes in pace. Anyways, did a VO2max run and the HR in the fast pace segments was around 140 when the actual HR was around 170. So I was in a "super good shape" during the run. Again, no change in anything.

The training status is not affected by the load either. It doesn't go to recovery/overreaching which used to happen if my load was too low/high.

Looks like Garmin is not interested in trying to fix these issues. The watch is currently an expensive paperweight. It used to be a nice training motivator until the summer this year when Garmin screwed up the software.

0 Jano22222 over 2 years ago in reply to 3389109

Have the same since may. regardless off what i do it`s maintance. Opened a case with them and told them to access my account if needed. After 4 day`s Danielle from support answered and asked if they could have permission to look into my account. They didn`t even bother to read my mail.

0 jkny over 2 years ago

I posted something similar earlier. Since April 2021 it hasn't worked properly since I did an easy run a few days after a marathon. As I hit save the watch came up with 'new lactate threshold' which I had never seen before and that data became a new field in the vo2 screen on my watch ever since. Endless support calls got me nowhere. They were given permission to access my account etc. Said no way to resolve and it was with the developers. Almost a year later, in Feb 2022 a new LT triggered after a fast run and that data was much better than the easy run. It hasn't updated now in 8 months. I used to get v02 variations after a fast race or a long training run would knock one or two points off. It never moves now. Vo2 has been 61 or 60 for 18 months or more. The data seems skewed to all my runs being easy now so I don't drop back or improve.

0 Miky over 2 years ago

Same here, "mantaining" is the only status since 6 months

0 Jano22222 over 2 years ago in reply to Miky

Same, maintance since May. Sent a email to support and gave them permission to access my account. Danielle from "support" answered after three days and asked for permission to access my account. She would be happy to assist . They don't even bother reading what you send them.

0 Gluki over 2 years ago

My VO2 max was 53 in July this year, but after a knee injury and not running for a month, in one day it dropped from 53 to 36 exactly a month after I didn't run. After recovery, I continued to run 3km with, but even after three runs, my VO2 max is still 36 but only on the widget, as if I didn't run at all, and in Training status there is no data on VO2max at all. It does not register VO2 max at all!

I also wrote to Garmin support but no response, and I also wrote on the beta forum, and a lot of people have this problem and Garmin's support is silent

0 Pierrotsc over 2 years ago

I think i just realized that my training status may also be stuck with maintaining. I just did a cycling workout with anaerobic TE and the status still says maintaining. Could be right though. not really sure. the rest seems to be working fine.

0 Jmkann15 over 2 years ago

Since the new software update, I feel like my Daily Suggested runs have been more predictable as well. I've been "Maintaining" for 5 months now and I thought it was just because I wasn't doing enough Anerobic activity. But of course it never tells me to do Anerobic runs on my Daily Suggestions. I use to think they actually used how well I slept and my recovery based on the previous day's stress levels, but it seems much more predictable on what the run is nowadays and I've been in a constant cycle.

I will say my VO2 Max has increased, but I'm still "maintaining" which doesn't make sense to me, and all my "suggested paces" for my suggestions have gotten faster.

0 3389109 over 2 years ago in reply to Jmkann15

The watch does not use your sleep data for the suggestions. You can se your daily suggestion at 00:01 before you have slept ;)

For me nothing matters for the training status. Load focus, acute load (low/optimal/high) etc. have no effect. It just stays at maintaining. The pace for my running suggestions stay the same. Maybe I really am just maintaining

I'm also in constant anaerobic shortage as my sprint runs always register as base or tempo runs. This is due to the fact that the GPS of the watch or the HRM Tri is not able to react to the suggested 10-15 second sprints and the pace is too slow. My sprints are usually 2:20km/min target pace and I get maybe to 2:40km/min pace within the 10-15 second segments even though I start accelerating to max pace at the 5 second "up next" notification. Approx. 30 seconds is enough to get the GPS pace to under 2:20km/min. Vo2max and anaerobic runs are registered correctly as they have long enough segments for the GPS to react, so they add to my Anaerobic load.