I definitely could have done 3650m, I should have done 3600m, but my modest result wasn’t even 3550m, but rather 3510m… could have, should have - quite lame excuses. The 5000m world record holder Kenenisa Bekele ran the 5000m in 12:37,3. That translates to a Cooper distance of 4750m. There’s a reference point.
The Cooper test, here organized by KeKe (Kestävyysjuoksun Kehittämisyhdistys), is a 12min run on a track and the runners try to get as far as possible. Rather simple. It’s a test of physical fitness invented by Kenneth Cooper in 1968 for US military use. Cooper used the test result in meters to calculate VO2max, the maximal oxygen consumption, by using this formula:
VO2 max = (distance run - 505) / 45
[the result is in ml/kg/min]
This expression is then used to compare the performance of endurace sports athletes.
Back to the Cooper test. To see what’s good and what’s not, have a look at the below table. This is the one that’s mostly referred to.
I’d say this calls for a 400days organized Cooper session as soon as the snow is gone. In case your interested, let me know through a comment below.
