Warning: Your VO₂ Max Obsession Is Killing Your Marathon Time—Here's When It Actually Matters

Estimated read time: 3.47 minutes

Hey Performance Nerds! Jonah here. 🤓

Warning: Your high VO₂ max does not matter. (Maybe 😉).

Quick story: Two runners, two very different results. One runs a 3:30 marathon with an elite VO₂ max of 65. The other? Just crushed a 2:55 with an "average" VO₂ max of 56! 🤯

Here's what we got:

• 🏃‍♂️ What VO₂ max actually means (in English!)

• 📊 Why elites don't obsess over it

• ⚡ When you should care about your VO₂ max

🎉 Love this? Share it with a friend in seconds! This newsletter took 12 hours to craft—use your referral link at the end of this email to earn prizes and run your fastest marathon yet. 😉

What is VO2 Max? (The Non-Nerdy Version)

Picture this: Your body is like a car, and VO₂ max (your maximal aerobic capacity) is your engine size.

It represents the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise.

Your marathon pace is like cruising speed on the highway.

Just like a Prius can't hit Ferrari speeds, you can't run faster than your VO₂ max allows.

Your marathon pace must stay below your VO₂ max. Simple.

VO₂ max depends on two systems working together (like me and my morning coffee ☕️):

1. Central System (Heart & Lungs)🫁

• How much blood your heart pumps per minute

• How much oxygen your lungs can take in

• Number of red blood cells carrying oxygen to muscles

2. Peripheral (Muscles)💪

• How many mitochondria your muscles have

• How well your muscles extract oxygen from your blood

• The strength of your capillary network (your oxygen delivery system)

But here’s the million-dollar question: Does having a high VO₂ max automatically make you a faster marathoner?

Does VO2 Max Matter for Marathons?

Plot twist: VO₂ max is overrated when it comes to marathon performance.

Here’s why: Your marathon pace is typically only 75–85% of your VO₂ max. You’re not running at max effort for 26.2 miles!

Quick Science: Nike's Breaking2 project revealed the fastest marathoners didn't have the highest VO₂ max.🤯

VO₂ max is important, but only a small part of fast marathons.

Here’s what matters more for faster runners:

• Running Economy: Your efficiency at marathon pace

  • Elite runners use 20% less energy at the same speed

  • Think Prius vs. Hummer - same speed, different fuel cost!⛽️

• Lactate Threshold: Your fastest pace without your muscles producing more lactate than your body can clear or re-use

  • Around your hour-race pace

  • Elites often push this closer to their VO₂ max

• Durability: Your ability to resist fatigue

  • Maintain speed without a big drop-off late in the race

  • Built through consistent training, not by obsessing over VO₂ max!

When Should You Focus on VO2 Max?

Here's the truth: VO₂ max limits you when your other systems are maxed out.

You should focus on VO₂ max when your lactate threshold and marathon pace are already close to their potential - at a high percentage of your VO₂ max.

Think of it like a house:

• VO₂ max is your ceiling

• Threshold and marathon pace are your floors

Raising VO₂ max creates space to move up your threshold and marathon-specific pace.

How to Tell If VO₂ Max Is Limiting You

• Your 5K and marathon paces are similar

• Your marathon time has plateaued despite consistent training

• High-intensity track workouts feel extremely difficult

• Runners with similar marathon times are much faster in shorter races

Practical Summary

• What is VO₂ Max?

  • Your aerobic ceiling, determining the maximum oxygen your body can use during exercise

• What Matters Most:

  • VO₂ max plays a role, but running economy, durability, and lactate threshold have a greater impact on marathon success, especially for elite runners

• When to Train VO₂ Max:

  • Focus on VO₂ max only when your threshold and marathon pace are near 85% or greater of your VO₂ max

  • Example Workout: 5 x 3 minutes max effort with 3-minute rest

💬 Got thoughts or questions about VO₂ max or marathon training? Hit reply—I’d love to hear how I can support your training! 🏃‍♂️✨

#1 Super Shoe Mistake Runners Make on Marathon Race Day

Did you miss my video about #1 Super Shoe Mistake Marathoners Make? You can find it below!

I won’t lie. These videos take me a while to make. If you find it helpful, share it on your story or with a friend. It helps me a ton!

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Don’t forget: You + Science = AWESOMENESS 😎

Yours in science,

Jonah & Augie

Please email me directly if you’re interested in references for this week!