RunClinic

25/05/2026

VO2 max Part 2: What does your score actually mean?

Your Garmin or Apple Watch might give you a number. But without context, it's just a number.

The table above shows how VO2 max scores are classified by age group — from Poor through to Superior — based on normative data from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Cooper Institute, two of the most widely referenced bodies in exercise science.

A few things worth knowing:

→ VO2 max naturally declines roughly 10% per decade after your 30s — but consistent training can cut that rate significantly
→ Women's scores run about 10–15% lower than men's on average — this is physiological, not a fitness gap
→ Wearable estimates carry a margin of error (typically 3–8%). A lab test gives you the real number

Find your age group. Find your score. Where do you sit?

Drop it in the comments — we're curious.

→ Book your VO2 max test at The RunClinic. Link in bio.

13/05/2026

Most people know their blood pressure.
Most people know their cholesterol.
Almost nobody knows their VO2 max — and it's the one number that predicts how long you'll live more accurately than almost any other marker we have.

Research published in JAMA found that low cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with double the mortality risk — even after accounting for smoking, weight, and blood pressure. A 2018 review in Frontiers of Bioscience went further, calling VO2 max the strongest predictor of life expectancy of any known biomarker.

Going from low to above average VO2 max fitness? Research suggests that's associated with around a 70% reduction in all-cause mortality risk.

This isn't just a number for elite athletes. It's the number that tells you exactly where your aerobic engine is at — and what you need to do to move it.

→ Book a VO2 max test at The RunClinic. Link in bio.

11/05/2026

Most running injuries aren't bad luck. They're one of three training mistakes — and once you know them, they're mostly avoidable.

🚫 Too Much — spiking your volume before your tendons, bones, and connective tissue have had time to adapt. Fitness builds faster than tissue does. That gap is where injuries live.

🚫 Too Soon — loading up again before the last session has had time to land. Recovery isn't optional — it's when adaptation actually happens.

🚫 Too Fast — adding intensity or speed before the base is ready to handle it. Intervals and tempo work are powerful tools. But stack them on an underprepared base and something breaks.

These three errors are behind the vast majority of what we see in runners. The good news? All of them are controllable — once you can see them clearly.

At The RunClinic we help runners identify exactly where their training load is working against them — before it becomes an injury. Link in bio to find out more.

08/05/2026

Recently, HYROX came to Brisbane and our very own Director Justin and his friend Liz competed in the Mixed Doubles! 🙌

It was a real eye opener into what it actually takes to be a good hybrid athlete — it's not just fitness, it's a whole different kind of tough. That said, coming from a running background gave both Justin and Liz a serious edge when it came to the 8 x 1km runs — that section felt a lot more manageable than expected. 💪

The sled push though? That was a different story. 😅

Amazing event, incredible atmosphere, and honestly — a great excuse to load up on some extra strength work going forward.

Highly recommend it to anyone thinking about giving HYROX a go. Can't wait for the next one! 🔥
What has been other runners feedback on HYROX? If you have any tips for Justin please drop it below 👇

06/05/2026

Your first marathon is 42.2km of repetition. Every stride, every footfall, every fault — repeated thousands of times over months of training.

Most first-timers focus on the mileage. The smart ones fix their form first.

A running analysis early in your training block means you're building fitness on a solid foundation — not compounding a fault that'll catch up with you at kilometre 30.

One session. Fewer injuries. A better race.

📍 The RunClinic — QLD's home for running performance. Book via the link in bio.

05/05/2026

04/05/2026

Most runners track weekly mileage. But that's not your biggest injury risk. 🚨

A 2025 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed 5,200 runners across 580,000+ GPS sessions — and the findings should change how you plan your long runs.

👉 Long run 10–30% longer than your last? 64% higher injury risk.
👉 More than double your last long run? 128% higher injury risk.

It's not your weekly total that spikes injury risk — it's the size of a single session jump.

The fix is simple:
✅ Track your longest run in the past 30 days
✅ Don't exceed it by more than 10% next time
✅ Build gradually — week by week, not one big leap
Train smart. Stay consistent. Get to the start line healthy. 💪

Not sure if your training load is working for or against you?
Book a running assessment at The RunClinic 👇
🔗 Link in bio.

27/04/2026

Sore foot. 200km. 1.5x the height of Everest. 🏔️

Jordan came in one week out from Harry's King of the Hill Backyard Ultra with a plantar fascia almost twice the size of the other side. We assessed it, treated it, and got him in the right shoe for race day.

51 laps and 200km later — foot held up. ✅

If you've got a race coming up and something doesn't feel right, don't just hope it goes away.

Get it sorted before the start line. 👇
🔗 Book a running assessment via the link in bio.

Jordan Nuks

02/04/2026

You don’t need a perfect training schedule. You need small wins.

Can’t fit a long run? Cool, grab a quick 5K.

Before the kids wake up.
While they’re watching TV.
Between work and life.

It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing something.
Because those “small” runs? They stack up fast.

30/12/2025

Can you beat our Podiatrist Jack’s distance in the Mona Fartlek?

He hit 6.6 km @ 3:02/km pace in 20 minutes.🏃🏻💨

Made famous by Aussie legend Steve Moneghetti, here’s the session:
🏃‍♂️ 4 × 90s on / 90s float
🔥 4 × 60s on / 60s float
💥 4 × 30s on / 30s float
⚡ 4 × 15s on / 15s float
Then… cool down (or lie down 😵‍💫)

“Ons” = 3–5 km pace
“Floats” = Back to threshold effort

Tag your training partner and see if you can beat Jack’s distance 👇

23/12/2025

What’s VO₂ max, and why does it matter? 🫁 💨

It’s your body’s maximum oxygen uptake - basically, the ceiling of your aerobic engine.

Here we’ve got Dave gearing up for a full VO₂ max test to understand how efficiently he uses oxygen at different speeds.

Tag someone who thinks they have a big engine!🏃‍♂️📊