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V02 MAX and Lactate threshold pace in 935 vs Fenix 3

cromwellc
over 8 years ago
Interesting data point that my Fenix 3 showed a V02max of 57 in March. It is 53 on the Forerunner 935 after a couple weeks use.

Lactate threshold was on the Fenix 3 was 159 in March with a pace of 6:46. It is 163 with a pace of 7:23 on the Forerunner. (I ran the test this morning)
In April Forerunner had a 163/7:37.

Training Peaks has calculated my Threshold heart rate at 163 and pace at 6:50.


Wondering if something changed in the V02Max calc?
and if I got some early bad data for pace in my Forerunner pace calculation that will need to work its way out.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    Thx Tim, I am completely with you!
    Just wondering, if 3-4 heartbeats will make a huge difference.
    I have seen some 179 recently, but on training sessions that weren't meant to lead to a max HR... maybe I'll go down to 181 or 182 just to see what happens.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    I was up around 65 when was at max HR of I think 165 but when was not getting even past 160. Now more like 59-61 and max 162 which is possibly a bit high still but much more like it.

    So it will certainly make a difference. Maybe less for you as my max HR is lot lower anyway.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    I would avoid auto detection of max HR. When I had it on my Fenix 3 HR I got a rogue reading of 200 on a parkrun and it distorted all my heart rate zones and also VO2 max, and hence knocked on into calorie calculations etc. Best set a figure you know is reliable and stop the watch recalculating it.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    Seems like I am heading for an experimental stage on this topic.

    Today I reduced my max HR by 3 beats (185 to 182) to check what happens. Recent high in the last 6 month is 179, but I didn't want a "disruptive" change.

    After that I did an interval session with 6x1km at I-pace (Jack Daniels).
    I have seen a max of 168 HR - expected more, but it was rather cold (5 degree celsius). It really was quite hard (but haven't done interval workouts since month).
    My LTHR is at 166! So 168 really seems to be low. Hmm...

    So after the workout my VO2max climbed from 56 to 57. I think the watch is still learning me. It says I am peaking right now - but honestly after my A competition on 30th April I did some days of recovery and started into a speed workout period. Maybe that is the reason why my VO2max climbs one by one per session from 54 (last week) to 57 (today).

    Maybe I will again reduce the max HR by 3 beats down to 179 tomorrow.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    VO2 Max certainly typically starts low with a new watch and rises upwards. Apart from anything else makes me feel better seeing it going up rather than down!

    If you have not got within 6 bpm of your entered max HR in the last 6 months then certainly best to lower your max HR on the watch.

    Simplistically I see this as an assessment of the available capacity you can work at. So if you are constantly "flat out" but never reach your max HR then the algorithm kind of thinks you have more to give and then you tend to see too high VO2 Max values and hence race predictions as a result.

    These days I like to leave my max HR bang on what I have actually got to in the last few months and that can often be seasonal with generally higher HRs seen when it gets warmer.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    I use 182 Max HR as I hit 183 at the end of my last 5k in October. Ran a half last weekend and hit 180 in the last kick but tired legs were the issue there.


    So HR drift due to dehydration could push your max HR higher then it usually is. Just because you can get your hr higher doesn't me your level of exertion is higher.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    Yes. Along with a number of other things. I have a recording of a run I did somewhere back clearly showing a climbing heart rate while maintaining pace on a hot 30km run. Simply put, my HR climbed from 130 to over 150 while still running at the same pace on a flat track in 30C heat. And then you have fatigue and any number of other factors.

    I've said on several occasions, chasing VO2 as a daily training metric is a flawed use of the metric. It's a long term measure, not a daily measure.
  • 0 over 8 years ago
    Yes agreed. Partly why was not overly concerned when my running VO2 Max went down 1 point yesterday as I did it just after a 2 hour bike ride.

    The warm weather thing is something to bear in mind though if you want to try and get reasonable VO2 Max figures. Lot harder to get very high HRs in cold weather but if your max HR was from a warm weather effort things may not line up.