Southampton Solent University VO2 Testing

Some amongst us think you know I'll go running because I'm fat/ unfit/ need a challenge... We take up this sport and we run our first mile then 10 kilometres, then a half marathon. Some of us achieve the ultimate and run a marathon, what a day and what a feeling when you get to that one. Our friends and colleagues make comments like oh yeah your fit because you run, with slight embarrassment we agree. The big Question is are we fit?
Whilst we are planing our little event, we thought it best to set ourselves challenges along the way so that we could measure our fitness against others.

A chance conversation between Darren & Dr Stewart Brucelow a Sport Scientist and the Laboratory Director and a Senior Lecturer at Southampton Solent University, brought up the subject VO2 testing. Dr Stewart Brucelow offered us the chance to be asessed, tested, prodded and poked all in the name of science. The aim was to get an honest scientific opinion of how we fit we where. We thought this would be an added wake up call and some thing to train against.

The day commenced with a drive to Southampton from our beloved Devon, we arrived around midday, we met Stewart who took us to his Laboratory and introduced us to four of his Year two Students and Senior Laboratory Technician. Over the next four to five hours we signed disclosures in case we died!!! blew in things pushed things, ran on things, whilst Stewart and his colleagues measured us observed us and took notes after notes, rubbing their chins...

We completed a test that measured the capacity of our lungs, the strength of our lungs. They then tested our back strength for carrying twenty five kilogram rucksacks whilst running. Stewart measured all our fat bits all over with sighs and concerned grunts, slightly disconcerting to say the least. The students got us running whilst stabbing our fingers to measure our lactic acid, whilst breathing through a huge hose to take readings of the carbon dioxide we where blowing out I think, added to the fact we had to point at a chart describing how hard we thought it was, had to be the oddest of experiences.
All in all a very good day, strangely tiring yet very, very interesting. We are still waiting to hear the results I'm hoping that they are not quite as bad as we think they are going to be...please let the miles and hours of suffering have been for something...
Bryn
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