VO2 vs Thresh WOs: Overlap / Misfiled WOs? + How to choose

Training
1

I’ve just started noticing some WOs that look to be “clearly” VO2 classified as Thresh, and vice versa.

Last night did Boucher. Definitely was in Thresh zone entire time, even toward the end & top of each int. May have kissed VO2 for a few seconds, but highly doubt it.

Spickard, Friday, [4 days ago] “Thresh”, didn’t even finish 1st interval, dialed % difficulty down 5%, eventually 10%. 115% FTP is way into VO2… “for me” ? [Can there really be a “for me” ? Isn’t this pretty set & defined stuff?]

Is this as simple as some WOs are just misfiled? Or….?

I know Boucher ends at 119%, which is higher than Spickard, that is “only” 115%, but in Boucher, you’re only there for a few seconds. The 2.5 straight mins @ 115% in Spickard destroyed me, kicked me into VO2 immediately, HR, O2 use, breathing, lactate processing & RPE were beyond maxxxed, had to drop difficulty %.

My embarasing failure pic below! :laughing:

[I do know FTP & “resilience”, shall we say, fluctuates massively, and some days a Thresh can feel like a VO2, or even put you into VO2 HR / RPE zones. That’s not what I’m talking about. To keep this on track, let’s assume FTP & “resilience” stay locked.]

Thanks in advance for all info & help!

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2

Nope. For some people 115% is relatively easy. For some it’s way over the line. It also greatly depends on how long the interval is.

3

its not a fail or embarrassing!

1 Like
4

Hard agree. I did one of the minus versions of Spickard (3 × 13.5 mins 110/90s) and that was hard enough!

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I wouldn’t say Spickard was misfiled, it looks like a traditional over under Threshold work out to me (maybe way over) but interspersed with under intervals, rather than constantly building into the VO2max zone like Boucher. Spickard does have some VO2max/ Anaerobic benefits though just not as much as Boucher:

Spickard

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Boucher

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Good effort btw and I certainly wouldn’t classify it a fail :muscle: