Runners chase a high VO2 max like kids chase high scores in a video game – but there’s more to training than building your aerobic engine, according to: “Beyond VO2 max: the fitness metrics triathletes should work on.” While VO2 max functions as a ceiling, what you do beneath it matters just as much. Experts note that threshold, or the highest intensity you can sustain before lactate builds faster than your body can clear it, is a strong predictor of long-course performance. One study compared Kenyan athletes to counterparts with a similar VO2 max. The Kenyan runners outlasted the competition by about 20% – a gap attributed to a higher lactate threshold. Durability (how well you hold your power under fatigue) and HRV (a daily marker of how well your body is absorbing training load) round out the picture. Running economy deserves particular attention: it measures the oxygen cost of running at a given speed. Research on British marathon legend Paula Radcliffe showed her VO2 max held steady while her running economy improved 15% over a decade, and you can build this same efficiency through consistent strength work like jump squats, bounding, and lateral hops. Alongside those physical adaptations, your footwear choices can give an immediate boost. A meta-analysis detailed in “Carbon-Plated Shoes Improve Running Economy (Here’s the Proof)” found that plated footwear reduces metabolic demand by roughly 2–3% at submaximal speeds. To capture those gains without replacing your entire shoe rotation, our friends at VKTRY make insoles that turn standard trainers into super shoes, enhancing energy return and shock absorption for a more efficient stride.

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