I recently got my VO2max tested and I’m extremely low at 41.92mL/kg.min. At the same time, I feel like VO2max workouts are “easier” than sustained efforts. I’m left gasping for air, but it’s not as painful as sustained efforts.
What does that mean? I would figure that with a low VO2max rating, my body would lean towards efforts at threshold or below but it seems to be able to knock out VO2max efforts at above the prescribed intensities.
What does it all mean? 
Thanks!
Which VO2 max sessions have you completed? Length of interval undoubtedly comes into it…
I think the longest I’ve done so far is Spencer +2. But I think the takeaway is that these efforts are more manageable than something like monitor.
VO2max is relative to your age:
VO2max is your maximum aerobic capacity, and from a performance point of view sets an upper limit on your FTP. That is because to produce energy, your muscles use oxygen to burn fat or carbohydrates.
VO2max is trainable.
At a higher level there are three determinants of performance:
which is more about your muscle composition (slow twitch vs fast twitch) and strength endurance.
What is the measurement unit of the VO2max chart?
normalized mL/kg/min or something like that.
https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/edge530/EN-US/GUID-1FBCCD9E-19E1-4E4C-BD60-1793B5B97EB3.html
That can’t be a chart for athletes.
Per the table, are you 20-29 years old?
Why? Because they didn’t include world class cyclists that have vo2max in 60s and 70s and 80s and 90s?
Source: https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/six-things-need-know-vo2-max.html
I guess I’m a freak. 
congratulations
From the TR article:
Male (mL/kg:min)
Untrained 36-52
Trained 50-70
Elite 60+
Also from the article:
In comparison to VO2 max, your FTP generally falls between 78-85% pVO2 max, with pVO2 max falling around 118-128% FTP.
With this in mind, it kinda sounds like your pVO2max is >120% FTP and your FTP is <85% pVO2max = easy VO2 intervals & hard Threshold intervals.
As @bbarrera said, your muscular endurance is lacking. Work on that and you’ll be raising both your FTP and VO2max.
This is my understanding from listening to the podcast and reading Things on the Internet, so take it with a grain of salt (and please correct errors): The VO2max “zone” is an approximation of the power you need to generate to reach the VO2max physiological response, when you’re consuming the most oxygen your body can possibly handle. When you train and your FTP goes up, your body needs less oxygen to hit the same watts. Your VO2max capacity hasn’t necessarily increased; your body has become more efficient with oxygen. You need to generate more power to get that physiological response.
That said, like @bbarrera said, your VO2max capacity itself is trainable. Ideally, as you train you’re both becoming more efficient with oxygen, and increasing how much oxygen you can process. It’s two orthogonal adaptations.
/me chuckles at Garmin estimate of 68…
This is an interesting paper looking at VO2, power and HR In a study of almost 4000 men and women.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0064319&type=printable
My favorite chart:
Having a 41.92mL/Kg/min relative VO2max means nothing with out associated power. You (we) are good at what system we train the most honestly. So for someone with a relative VO2max of 90 who never train VO2max will probably suffer/feel the same as you. The guy with 90 is probably generating way more power than you but, performing relatively the same as you.
laugh at James Spragg a coach that wrote a vo2max article I found on RoadCyclingUK.com
No shade intended – I was amused at how out of whack their algorithm is with the findings presented.
ha ha, thought you were laughing at the 68-80 range for domestic pro from that RCUK screenshot.
FWIW my Garmin estimates for vo2max (actually FirstBeat algorithms) are consistent with other estimates: WKO, Hunt study that DaveWh posted, basic exercise physiology math from RCUK article, etc.
+1 and VO2max work has a significant mental component. With more TR training history, my comments on VO2 workouts have gone from that was a horrible experience to solid effort no backpedaling required.
