What is "full recovery" for VO2 max running workouts?

MattAaronson

I did my first week of these last week and put 2' between each at a jog that starts at about z1 pace but ends up averaging z2 as I get stronger over the course of the recovery interval.

Any guidance on what pace or for how long the recoveries ought to be run?

Thanks much, Matt

Keith Wick

Typically the duration of the interval is the duration of the recovery. In any sense, the important part is that you should recover enough so that you can complete the next interval.

Al Truscott

The general rule of thumb for rest (recovery) periods is they should be long enough and easy enough so ALL the intervals can be completed at the prescribed power or pace. Longer/easier than that, and you're wasting time; shorter/harder than that (i.e., starting to fail on the last intervals) and you clearly need more rest.

A well-trained runner might have shorter recovery intervals than someone just starting out.

The key metric is, can you hold pace for all of the intervals in the set (if not, you;re not resting enough); conversely, are you able to blast the last interval way faster than the others (if so, you rested too much!)

atasic

 Book answer for VO2 max is:

work:recovery=1:1, easy jog between. You ran 800m in 3min, you recover jogging 3min.

MattAaronson

Thanks everyone for the input.
1:1 sounds like a good plan to try out.
I've been doing 2' recovery which felt a little long for the 200m intervals but felt about right for the 400m intervals.

Coach Rich

Posted By Keith Wick on 13 Mar 2011 07:00 PM

Typically the duration of the interval is the duration of the recovery. In any sense, the important part is that you should recover enough so that you can complete the next interval.

 

This ^^^