The test basically consists of running/biking on a treadmill/trainer while hooked up to a mask which measures the chemistry of your breathes. Every minute the test gets harder, by increasing the speed/incline on the treadmill and the resistance on the bike. The tests typically last 15-20 minutes and you go to FAILURE, the point at which you can't go any further/harder for a full minute.
Typically when people take the test, they get zones which force them to slow down. There are five heart rate zones for exercise, Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (a,b,c). Most of your training is done in zone 2 to build aerobic capacity, with intervals done at zone 4 (longer periods of intensity) and 5 (shorter periods of intensity which you can only hold for 30 seconds to a minute) to stress your body & create improvements in speed/strength. Most people train in Zone 3 if they've don't follow heart rate training because it's comfortable and you can go a decent amount of time at that heart rate. However, zone 3 requires a longer recovery without giving you much of a return over zone 2.
For Christmas, I got a heart rate monitor and I have slowed down significantly, trying to hit an arbitrary number in my head of where I think I "should" be. Fortunately, the test on Wednesday showed me that I had actually slowed down TOO much and was training at or below Zone 1 and I can actually speed up (which is thrilling news). My heart rate is just naturally high. This result is NOT what I expected given what I had heard from others.
I also found out that my VO2 max (aerobic capacity) is 45.3, 67% higher than what you would expect of a person my age, weight, and height and is considered "superior" for my age. This basically means I have natural ability which if I can get my form to be more efficient and get the hours in training, I can go significantly longer at a higher intensity than most people. Based on my past races/result, this makes sense to me because I have never been fast, but I can go far and the longer the race, the better my overall positioning is in the results.
All of this good news was caveated with a warning that my running form is "horrific" and I have a lot of work to do to avoid wasting energy and overtaxing my muscles. The coach/tester was awesome and gave me a ton of tips/advice on top of my test results in order to improve my form and overall performance. She was also super impressed with my bike test, saying "I don't have many people who come in here and do that. You're heart/lungs didn't give out and your legs could have kept going, you just hit your limit." I am still not sure what that meant but I like it!
Basically, what I learned this week is I have really great cardiovascular strength and a lot of potential. My body will give out before my heart is overstressed. If I spend the next 8 months working on bringing my body up to speed, I will not just finish the Ironman, but I will finish it well!
Oh, and I also found out I need to eat more while biking/running, but the thought of just eating gels is too much for me. Does anyone have any tips on food (non-clif bars) that is easy to prepare/eat on the bike that doesn't cost a ton of money or have too much fiber?
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