Guinea pig mode

Earlier this week, the Sports Medicine Unit finally acquired the full system to assess VO2 max.

Before this, we were using VO2 peak instead for our exercise prescription.....which honestly despite being a lot easier to carry out, wasn't exactly too accurate.

It doesn't take into consideration the patient's height, weight and oxygen consumption.

But we were kinda lacking so VO2 peak just had to cut it.

However with the arrival of the new system requires a new learning curve...and a guinea pig.

I eagerly volunteered.

I mean, after all those years (actually, not that many come to think of it) of reading Runner's World and lately, Triathlete magazine (because I didn't know what on earth was a peloton).....all the hoohah about VO2 max.....given a chance to find out my own, I jumped at it!

And I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with the same mindset.

After all, with all those hours spent on training....who doesn't want to know how far off from superiority we are from say, Lance Armstrong (VO2 max: 75 mL/kg/min....if you're wondering).

So yesterday boss said to bring along my exercise gear.

The process of getting on the wires were horribly labour intensive.

The chest leads had to be on exactly as anatomically required (it's been a while since I last counted intercostal spaces) and the wires taped to my body just in case it comes off while running.

The limb leads wires were also taped to my arms and my hips.

The mask then goes onto face really tightly and at the tip of mask was inserted the device to detect oxygen/carbon dioxide differences.

Then comes the vest with 2 huge devices larger than my fist inserted into the two front pockets of the vest.

The wires then connect the 2 huge devices to the uncomfortable face mask.

Everyone thought it was hilarious and kept asking for Darth Vader impersonations.

There was only that much "I'm you're Father" before it kinda fell flat.

Boss keyed in my age, height and weight...then wait for all the other vital stats detectable by all those wires to show up on the computer screen.

He decided I'd be doing the Bruce protocol and I agreed...(totally bad judgement on my part. I should have gone for Modified Balke protocol instead of killing myself with Bruce)

After a bit of a lag, all my vital stats popped up on the screen.

At rest....my resting heart rate was elevated....(it showed 73!!! I must really hate the mask that much!!!!), my respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was at 0.7 (which meant I was using fat as fuel as oppose to a ratio of 1 which means purely fueling on carbohydrate), my current VO2 (oxygen consumption) and a bunch of other stuff which included a running cardiac tracing.

Waited the compulsory 5 minutes of being stationary....and then the treadmill started moving according to protocol.

(the shiteous thing about Bruce protocol was that both the increase in speed and inclination occurs at the SAME time every 3 minutes)

The first stage was at an easy speed and incline.

It was pretty alright. I was walking. Breathing was....annoying considering breathing through the mask made the air inside the mask really warm, humid and uncomfortable.

Initial Borg Scale was 7.

After 3 minutes, speed and inclination increased again.

Was still at a walking pace.

The face mask was getting a tad annoying.

My heart rate was climbing at a pretty fast rate.

My RER was increasing slowly but surely nearer to 1.

Borg Scale at the end of 2nd stage was a 9.

3 minutes up and the speed and inclination increased again.

Suddenly I find myself running really fast on a really steep hill.

My breathing became more laboured and the face mask was pissing the shit outta me!!!!

My RER was at 1....I was burning carbohydrate.

I really wanted to give up.

Everything was bothering me....my mask....those taped wires.....the heat (mind you, we were in an air conditioned room).....everything!!!!!

C'mon.....get through the 3 minutes and then reassess situation.

Just before the 3 minutes were up.....my Borg Scale was at a 15!

(in case you're wondering.....it goes all the way up to a maximum of 20)

My colleagues prepared me.....15 seconds more till the next stage.

I held on to the hand rails of the treadmill and braced myself.

3 minutes up.

The speed and inclination went up further.

I was now sprinting uphill.

I couldn't breathe. It felt so hot and horrible.

30 seconds in.....I called it quits.

I only made it to stage 4. Sigh.

Just before the end of it....my heart rate was at 178, my RER was 1.11 and my VO2 was recorded as 47 mL/kg/min.

I was disappointed that I didn't make it past the 50 mark.

I think my boss was also kinda disappointed that I pulled the plug before stage 6.....coz today at work, he told me that since I was now "conditioned" to the face mask and the entire process, I could re-do my VO2 max next week and aim to get to a higher stage on the protocol......

I on the other hand was not very keen to get back behind that mask and getting taped up with wires.

I seriously have no idea how we're gonna convince all our patients on the obesity program to go through this uncomfortable process. Sigh.

On the up side.....I found out later that a VO2 max of 47 mL/kg/min was actually pretty good!!!

Apparently the average population comes in at around 35.....and the terribly untrained (which come to think of it is the majority of the Malaysian urban population) would hover at around 20 and below.

But obviously comparing myself to Lance Armstrong is kinda far fetched (47 vs 75).

C'mon...that dude made it to Boston Marathon and his first full marathon debut timing put a lot of serious runners to shame.

(on the other hand, you get people like Mr. Anonymous proclaiming that his VO2 max was probably at around the 85 range....)

Anyhoo.....I'll be updating when AND if I ever do repeat my VO2 max next week.

*shudder*

Later!!!!!!