RPE on vo2 runs

Rumpole

 Hi-

VDOT bumped after last test, but the test didn't go that well.  What is the RPE for V02?  Is it your 2mile pace?  Your 1 mile pace?  The reason that I'm asking is that when I was doing 200s, the RPE was about a 7, at 400 about a 7.5, allowing HR to go back to its normal zone.  Had we gone to a mile, though, I think things would have been considerably harder.  Thoughts?  Is VO2 @ pace the equivalent of 5 minute power?

Joseph Lombardi

 The "de facto" standard for VO2 is roughly equivalent to your best 3k effort (RPE)...(or 2mile)..

Michael Byerts

I thought that the rule was if you have a VDOT below 56 (could be 66), you run the VO2 work at your 5K test pace. Especially in the first couple of VO2 workouts, this will feel too easy, when you are doing 2-3 times 200-400 meter reps. But once you start hitting 800 and 1000 meter repeats, going much faster than 5K pace will quickly build up a ton of fatigue, and you will dig a hole if you don't have an extremely strong running history. If your 5K pace is close to or slower than 4 minutes per kilometer, you are spending too much time at too fast a pace if you run the VO2 portions much faster than 5K pace.