From World of Warcraft to VO2 Max: Leveling Up Your Training
- Kevin Moore
- Feb 16
- 2 min read
I have a confession: I’ve always been a geek. And I'm talking about the kind of geekiness that was around before gaming went mainstream, countless hours lost in the detailed worlds of Runescape and the strategic layers of World of Warcraft.
That same fascination with complex systems and how things work didn't stay confined to virtual realms. It gradually shifted into something much more tangible: understanding the human body,
Be purposeful
A few years back, my obsession with data led me to build massive spreadsheets to calculate training zones based on "Date Pace" a concept from Bill Bowerman and the University of Oregon (co-founder Nike, "waffle") that emphasizes training for your current fitness, not your goal fitness. I love this concept. You have to earn the training you do (Jack Daniels, VDOT)
The Metrics: What They Mean
Here is your cheat sheet for alot of the zones you see in the charts and your watch.
vVO2 max (Max Aerobic Capacity):
Your engine's ceiling. A pace you can sustain for 6-8 minutes.
Read more: What is VO2 Max? (UC Davis Health)
vCV (Critical Velocity):
Your "sustainable hard" effort. Roughly your 30-minute race pace.
Read more: Critical Speed Explained (TrainingPeaks)
vLT (Lactate Threshold):
The tipping point where waste accumulates. Usually your 60-minute race pace.
Read more: Lactate Threshold 101 (Runner's World)
vAer (Aerobic Threshold):
"steady" Sustainable for 2+ hours. Careful, its a light intensity and too often less trained runners will spend more time than needed here.
Read more: Details on Aerobic Threshold
Geek Out With Me
Want to see the "old school" method? You can still view my original work here:
The Takeaway
Ultimately, I hope this tool helps you make a bit more sense of your training.
Use the numbers to find your zones, but remember to listen to your body and learn what those efforts actually feel like. Be purposeful with your runs, and let me know if it helps!
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