Looking to Boost Your VO2 Max at 50+? Experts Explain the Training Changes You Need to Get Faster in Later Years

Scientifically, the older you get, the harder it is to get faster and improve metrics tied to speed, like your VO2 max. That’s not always reality, though, or at least it doesn’t have to be because it is possible to get fitter—and faster—as you get older.In short, VO2 max is basically the size of your aerobic engine, which is important for improving overall health, but also sets the ceiling for your run performance.Not only does VO2 max improvement help you stay fit enough to still sign up for—and crush—your favorite races, but it’s also tied to living a longer life.Take Jeannie Rice, for example, who holds the highest ever recorded VO2 max for a woman aged 75 years or older, with a score of 47.8. (For reference, an excellent VO2 max for runners 50 to 59 is 43 for men and 40 for women, and that decreases by a couple of points after age 60.)To follow in Rice’s footsteps and continue getting faster after 50, here’s expert advice (and workouts!) to raise your VO2 max in your later years.Why VO2 Max Can Decline as You AgeThere are multiple components that go into your VO2 max, starting with our hearts, says Kate Baird, running and metabolic testing coordinator and exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “As we age, the ability of our heart to look like a young heart and function like a young heart starts to diminish somewhere in late adulthood,” particularly around age 60, says Baird.Along with that, “our lungs also take a hit when we age,” says Mike McKnight, a run coach who specializes in working with older athletes. “The capacity to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide diminishes. By the time you’re 80, your maximum breathing capacity will probably be around 40 percent of what it was when you were 30.”“Research indicates that, on average, our VO2 max declines by about 10 percent each decade in sedentary adults,” says McKnight. “That means we’re moving less oxygenated blood to the muscles. Less oxygen [means] lower ability for our muscles to create energy, to do work.”The good news is, consistently doing high-intensity workouts will help slow that effect. Research has also shown that vigorous training can get that 10 percent decline down to about five to seven percent per decade instead, cutting the decline nearly in half.Including targeted VO2 max work into your training can deliver serious gains to your health, fitness, and performance. “The better you can move and the more intensity you’re able to maintain as you age, then you’re probably going to be more fit for a longer period of time into your golden years, so to speak,” McKnight says.How to Improve VO2 Max at Age 50+The best way to improve VO2 max is to do VO2 max-specific workouts, says McKnight. A six-week VO2 max training plan is one way to zero in on this metric safely and progressively, Baird adds. Jumping right into VO2 max work without progressing slowly can lead to injury—even if you have a strong aerobic background—because these workouts bring a huge spike in mechanical load compared to longer distance training. Because VO2 max pace is near your top-end speed, your muscles take on more impact, so you adapt to that better through a gradual build.Your VO2 Max Training Plan“But the thing with older runners is that it’s a much harder task to do these types of runs in a way where they don’t get hurt,” because you might lack the strength base required to handle speedwork, and it usually takes longer to recover from workouts in your later years, says McKnight.So before jumping in, experts suggest taking a few steps that will help you get the most out of your VO2 max training in your later years, prevent injury, and help speed up recovery.1. Establish a BaseBefore starting VO2 max workouts, McKnight recommends having a base of consistent easy mileage to build a solid aerobic engine.Some benchmarks that indicate you’re ready: being able to handle at least 45 to 60 minutes of continuous easy running, and ideally averaging at least 15 to 20 miles per week for a few months, McKnight suggests.2. Strength TrainStrength training is a crucial part of preparing your body to handle higher-intensity running, both Baird and McKnight explain. Having an adequate strength base and/or program helps you fight off sarcopenia, a.k.a. age-related muscle loss that often accelerates after age 40. That helps you get the benefits of VO2 max workouts without developing injuries, McKnight adds. “You’re strengthening the muscles and tendons so they withstand the demands of higher-intensity workouts,” McKnight says.If you’re not already strength training, you can start with bodyweight exercises before moving to light to moderate weight to safely progress and gain the stimulus you need to support muscle building and bone health. McKnight likes runners to have a six- to 12-week base of consistent strength training (about one to three days a week, for example) going into VO2 max training.Your 4-Week Guide to Building a Strength Base3. Prioritize RecoveryMany runners, but especially older runners, underestimate how much VO2 max workouts take out of your energy levels, McKnight adds, stressing the importance of adequate recovery. That means actively scheduling rest days into your training program, and listening to your body to see whether or not your fatigue is normal, or you’re pushing too hard in training.How to Tell If Your Fatigue is NormalYou don’t have to do a VO2 max workout every single week to see benefits, McKnight says. Doing one workout every other week can provide the same effect with plenty of time to recover and adapt. You can also consider opting for a 10-day training cycle rather than the typical seven-day structure, to give yourself more flexibility with rest and recovery days.Adding more rest might also look like taking a 6-Week VO2 Max Plan and spreading it out across eight or 12 weeks instead. This gives you time to take a down week of easy running every few weeks to make sure you fully absorb the effects of those speed workouts.3 VO2 Max Workouts for Runners 50+“My advice to people as they are aging is to really focus on the quality of their workouts as opposed to the quantity of the miles that they’re running,” says Deena Kastor, host of Runner’s World’s Guide on How to Run Strong at 50+. And VO2 max workouts help you do exactly that.The key to high-quality VO2 max workouts is pacing them well. Runners often go too fast in the first interval; your VO2 max pace should be about your 3K to 5K race pace, McKnight says. You should probably just be able to say one word—not a whole sentence—without feeling winded.McKnight suggests that older runners take the first interval a little slower than you think you need to. “Work your way into the effort by accelerating over the first 15 to 20 seconds,” he says. That way, you won’t burn yourself out and you’ll get more out of the workout.Below are three workouts McKnight recommends for runners over age 50 to boost their VO2 max.1. Norwegian 4x4Why it works: This is a time-based interval workout that can help you focus more on your effort level rather than trying to sprint to the finish. You’ll log 16 minutes of quality work with plenty of time to recover between each effort. Remember to pace this workout well from the beginning because you want to have the energy to complete all four sets.More on Norwegian 4x4sIf you want more of a challenge, you can do this workout on a slight uphill to reach VO2 max intensity more quickly, McKnight adds.How to do it:Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running4 x 4 minutes at 3K to 5K race pace or 85 to 95 percent of maximum heart rate (RPE 9) with 3-minute static rest or walking recovery betweenCool down with 10 minutes of easy running2. Billat IntervalsWhy it works: Created by French exercise physiologist Véronique Billat, this workout is a good way to introduce runners, either beginners or those returning to intensity work, to VO2 max training. McKnight explains that these can feel mentally easier to go through than other intervals because of the short 30-second bouts. (Progress to 60-second bouts as you get more comfortable.)If you’re having difficulty with the workout, McKnight says it’s perfectly okay to try the 30-30 pattern for four to five minutes, then take a short break before trying another four- to five-minute bout.How to do it:Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running30 seconds at 3K to 5K pace (RPE 9), followed by 30-second recovery jog/walkRepeat for 8 to 10 minutesCool down with 10 minutes of easy running3. Long Distance IntervalsWhy it works: Longer intervals challenge you to run a bit farther, so you increase your aerobic capacity and tackle longer distances. These 800-meter repeats are easy to measure, and as you advance in VO2 max workouts, you can increase them to 1200-meter or mile repeats, McKnight says.Start at the low end of the rep range, and work your way up over time.How to do it:Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running4 to 6 x 800 meters at 3K to 5K pace (RPE 9) with 400-meter walk/jog betweenCool down with 10 minutes of easy runningKristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.