VO2 max running = 65

Interesting problem to try unravel. Maybe sharing a view of your training status and also training load might help.

First to look at it from a basic level, I’d ask if the VO2 max reflects your level of fitness. So, in terms of performance, what is your aerobic effort 5k,10k times and average heart rate?

Second, what does your training involve to improve VO2 max fitness and at what volume and intensity (training load) because if your are always training above aerobic capacity (tempo, threshold, VO2 max) then you will be overtraining and unproductive. Most running for us basic runners should be at base zone 2 level in order to develop aerobic base.

What’s your max HR set on running and cycling profiles? I had set my HR max set but not in the specific Running profile, I lowered it by five beats as I was getting a VO2 score that was several points above what I know I am. This reflected in the race predictions, way, way off much faster than I was capable of especially the marathon and half marathon. 

I started to get unproductive runs for about 7-10 days, my VO2 max started to come down as did the times and now is more realistic. 

Take a look at the time you spend in different HR zones. Maybe your max HR is too low which makes you spend your time in too high HR zones. That way the watch thinks you need more rest.

Well without really digging into your training history and load over the past couple months, kind of hard to say.  I am fairly similar (3hr marathon, ftp 306w)   vo2max depending on training cycle and types of workouts I've been doing is 61-67.  

Since you have a high vo2max reading, your maximum HR has to be fairly close to right, because if your max HR setting was too low... you'd get a lower vo2max result. 

Howver .... Regardless of your vo2max... training volume and load are based on you and your history, someone can have a pretty high vo2max (genetics are a huge player in it) but if they haven't been training much lately, their 'optimal' load curve will be lower than someone with a lower vo2max that trains 15hrs a week consistently....

Also, just because you can run fast, that doesn't mean you should be running/biking much of your time in your Zone4 and Zone5 heart rate zones.   Getting high training load scores.   Could you... sure, for how long... who knows.... but will often lead to burn out, injury, plateau.  Recovery hours and 'optimal training load' ranges have seemed to be pretty solid for my training.    When I am below it I can tell i've been slacking or in a recovery week, when I am at the top of it for a while I can feel the fatigue.

All,

Thank you for your patience. In the meantime, I was looking for answers myself based on all your feedback and advices (that I really appriciate). I've tried all sorts of workouts and settings to get a better "training status" feedback on my forerunner 945, but without succes. At the moment I don't really have a goal as we just moved to a new country and are exploring the possibilities.

I even went with my girlfriend cycling yesterday and stated as unproductive.

Some notes that could help solve the problem of the endless "unproductive" advice. 

• I have a Garmin watch for running only from July this year. Before used a polar but never did much with the data. I had however already for a very long time a Garmin edge. 
• Past two years I was mainly focused on cycling. So I went running only once per week or per two weeks. 
• on a rest day my rest HR is 33-35 and max 78. 
• I have very calm breathing especially if my heart rate is 165 or lower when walking. This is of course different when cycling, then I think till 145 it is very calm.

Below I will add some screenshots of my workouts that I did the last months. Not so much and the watch is even telling to do less so quite anoying when you buy such an expensive watch as the training details are the reason of buying it of course.

Regards and thanks again for your support