Zero To Ironman: EP 17 - My First Ever VO2 MAX Test!

Week 17 of my 7 month journey as I train from zero prior experience to complete an Ironman in order to raise awareness for T2KO and support those facing this tough battle.
This week's episode we did our first ever VO2 Max and lactate testing with the legends down at ‪@METSPerformanceConsulting‬. Massive thank you to ‪@ShawnXiaoMelb‬ for filming again!
👥 LINKS:
💝 T2KO - Osteosarcoma Awareness Donations: www.mycause.com.au/p/323484/f...
❓Why I am doing this 👉 www.brodysearle.com/roadtoiro...
📺 Instagram: / brodysearle
🏃 Strava: / strava
💻 Personal Website: www.brodysearle.com
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
0:54 - Pre VO2 Max
1:31 - VO2 Max
2:42 - Nick's Prediction
3:01 - Post VO2 Max
3:46 - Results Vs My Training
8:25 - My thoughts about my results
10:43 - Post Swim Chat

[@brodysearle]

I just wanted to say, a massive thank you for continuing to follow along this journey with me. It’s insane and I’ve learnt so many tips and tricks from all of you throughout this! 😁

[@LawnEnthusiast]

Hey Brody, quick one from me. As a PhD researcher in sport science and marathon runner, i watch a whole lot of videos of endurance athletes doing VO2max and lactate testing. Iv noticed a lot of the time, the person conducting the test doesnt have a clue what they’re on about and is very little help to the athlete. BUT, in this case, Nick’s knowledge and expertise in this area is fantastic and has given a massive insight into where your body is currently at and how to tweak your training going forward. So kudos to you Nick and keep smashing the training Brody

[@brodysearle]

Thanks mate!! Appreciate that a lot!

[@henrymorgan4707]

Morning everyone doing my Sunday routine

[@brodysearle]

Thanks for watching weekly 😁!!!

[@anoucanina]

for me its a evening routine😄😄 4:45pm on saturday

[@ajpsaint]

Another Great Upload, Crazy that we are on week 17 already! I had a VO2 max Test at the start of the month and I clocked a 52ml/kg/min for a running test so it was cool to see where your results were at! Good Effort!

[@brodysearle]

Amazing bro! Great job :)

[@ShawnXiaoMelb]

Well done bro as always!!❤❤❤ keep making progress

[@brodysearle]

Thanks brother!

[@ShawnIsBatman]

Great video! Time = progress. Keep putting in the time and you will see the progress.

[@brodysearle]

Thanks Shawn!!

[@KatskiHikes]

I've noticed that when I'm pushing myself too hard, the first sign is usually disrupted sleep, followed by mood issues such as reluctance to attend training sessions. While pushing oneself is sometimes necessary, it's crucial to ensure it's temporary and followed by a proper recovery week. Many people mistakenly train too intensely during their recovery week. Increasing calorie intake, particularly carbohydrates, can alleviate fatigue to some extent. Additionally, the timing of training sessions is important; late evening workouts may hinder the relaxation of the nervous system before bedtime, leading to such symptoms. I understand that adhering to these guidelines might sometimes be challenging. To achieve your goals effectively, it's crucial to take ownership of your schedule, prioritize earlier sessions whenever feasible, and ensure sufficient nutrition, while also keeping recovery weeks light. Prolonged overreaching and insufficient sleep heighten the risk of injuries, potentially necessitating a longer break from training. I encourage you to communicate openly with your coach. While it's admirable to strive for fitness, it's equally wise to recognize when to ease up and consider long-term progression.

[@brodysearle]

Thank you for your advice! I’m very open with my coach 😁 I actually don’t do many late sessions at all, this was one of my only late sessions due to the vo2 max that was in the morning and filming during the day haha thank you though!!

[@KatskiHikes]

@@brodysearle No problem, I trust that you and your coach, being most familiar with your situation, will find a resolution. As viewers, we only have a limited understanding of your life. Appreciate you sharing your journey with us. ✌😊

[@brodysearle]

@@KatskiHikes you’re amazing! Thank you for your help 😁

[@jacklelandharrison]

I wouldn't do a session less than 3-4 hours before you try to sleep. I would also stop eating 2-3 hours before sleeping. This helps your hr stay low which betters sleep quality. Cheers from the States!

[@andrewjames2721]

Agreed. Both things bring up your internal body temperature which keeps you from being able to sleep deeply.

[@brodysearle]

Thanks mate!! I typically don’t do session in the afternoon/night much, this swim was because of the vo2 max morning haha but agreed, I eat really late, maybe 1h before bed. I’ll try that and see if it helps!! Thanks legend 🤝🤝

[@patricia_w]

Canyon SpeedMax FTW ! Love mine so much

[@brodysearle]

I wish haha absolutely beautiful bike but well outside my budget 😅

[@tangarz5357]

For sleep (as someone has no idea what he’s talking about but has terrible sleep), no bright lights ~ 1h before bed and take a hot shower and immediately go to bed and almost meditate when you fall asleep. That’s my routine that’s seems to help me.

[@brodysearle]

I’m the same haha I don’t have too much problem getting to sleep initially! Just when i wake up midnight I do 😅 any meditation KZbin videos? thanks mate!

[@tangarz5357]

Not usually but if I do it’s usually on of the rain sound videos.

[@pieinthesky899]

Zinc & Magnesium helps with sleep. Also research having Melatonin, its a natural hormone the body produces which has helped me sleep in the past.

[@brodysearle]

They also help me I think 😁

[@user-pt6fd5pi5x]

INSANE editing

[@brodysearle]

Appreciate that 🤝

[@williamjhou]

Great video! I have to get one of these done soon too!

[@brodysearle]

Thanks bro! Good luck, how many months are you into it now? Seen your first Olympic race video that you said you a few months of training!! You’d be nearly close to the Ironman? 😅😅 you’re going to crush it mate!

[@williamjhou]

@@brodysearle Thank you!! And May! Starting off with the 70.3 for the 6 month goal and then moving onto the full! Nothing like how quickly you’re crushin it bro 😎

[@brodysearle]

@@williamjhou unreal bro! Your content is great keep it up 😁

[@williamjhou]

@@brodysearle thank you! Trying to get there little by little haha

[@brodysearle]

@@williamjhou it’s like that bro!! Day by day!

[@collinjanwarin]

The goggle-imprints in the last part of the video officially make you a swimmer/triathlete 🏊🏽‍♂🥽

[@brodysearle]

Trying our best mate! 😅

[@willgoodchild8667]

🥇

[@brodysearle]

The man! 🤙

[@aaronp3781]

Grab a pair of Shokz swim headphones, load up some decent drum/bass songs and swim all day.

[@brodysearle]

I’ve been thinking this!! I wasn’t a big believer in the headphones when swimming, but I’ve seen more and more people using them and I reckon I’d smash out the sessions with them! I just don’t train with any music because you can’t have it in the event 😅

[@EMC9]

Just watching your series through and its brilliant! Really toying with the idea of doing an ironman myself! With regards to the sleep situation, maybe actually try stopping taking magnesium for a bit and watching how your sleep goes because sometimes it can have the opposite effect! Too much mg in the body can keep you awake, change the timing to the morning, or maybe try a different type of mg, Glycinate, Taurate, Citrate, and even Orotate. Google this and have a read up about mg actually keeping you awake. I had this problem!

[@brodysearle]

Thanks mate!! Great suggestion, I honestly think it was just my stress levels perhaps as I am all good now! I will trial that however in the future if I find myself in a similar situation!! :) Thanks!

[@dylanconnor5064]

Check your ferritin mate, iron deficiency could be a cause of the sleep problems

[@brodysearle]

Will do!

[@sigfreed11]

12:43 good night sleep starts in the morning. You get sun exposure in the eyes first thing in the morning? Also avoiding screens at least an hour but ideally 2-3 hours before you want to go to bed.

[@brodysearle]

I try to lift my blinds up before going on my phone in the morning 😅 the screen time close to bed is definitely the hardest for me due to editing for clients late!

[@sigfreed11]

@@brodysearle do what you can within reason and that is the best you can do 👍🏻 I highly recommend Dr. Hubberman for the best science on sleep

[@brodysearle]

Yeah he is great!!!

[@bluemuppett]

Check out Tim Ferriss’ recent podcast with Andy Galpin - lots of good info there generally but he touches on sleep. Maybe try eating a carbohydrate snack before bed, with some electrolytes? Assuming you eliminate other stimulus (phone, etc) it could be diet related. It might also be a good idea to move your computer out like you suggested in a previous video (reinforcing bedroom is for sleep only)

[@brodysearle]

Yeah I reckon that’s the goer!! Thanks mate!

[@MrRamkulov]

having the same troubles with sleep I tried to drop caffeine to zero and it helped me. And I don't drink Coca-Cola or any energy drinks. Try it for 2-3 weeks and see if it helps.

[@brodysearle]

I could never drop caffeine, amazing by you!!

[@MrRamkulov]

@@brodysearle Also in the past you might though 'I could never finish full Ironman' and here you are, training every day and getting ready for it.

[@brodysearle]

Very true!

[@marcusmartensson]

Hey man! I just found your KZbin, AWESOME series and great content!! 👑👏🏼 I am actually doing pretty much the same challenge, but I am just going for a ironman 70.3...but I'm starting from overweighted 🫃😅 I just posted my second episode where I'm also doing my first VO2 max test 🙏🏼 Looking forward to follow your journey mate!

[@brodysearle]

Thanks Marcus! Amazing stuff - just had a watch 😁 keep it up!

[@marcusmartensson]

@@brodysearle thank you 😃 you have a crazy growth on your channel (well deserved) 👏🏼 do you have any tips on how to reach more people? 🙏🏼

[@brodysearle]

Keep posting man! You’re reaching more views than I was originally!! So keep going bro 😁

[@marcusmartensson]

@@brodysearle wow for real? 😅 Alright, yeah I will keep posting for sure! Looking forward to follow your journey bro! 🙌🏼👑

[@dizzy6593]

All the advice in the comments is great r.e sleep. If you want a bit of a kick medication-wise, 1st generation antihistamines such as phenergan and cetrizine are a great alternative to prescription sleep tablets. Non-addictive, over the counter. Start with small doses to see how your body reacts, take an hour or two before bed (nurse here that uses phenergan for shift work).

[@brodysearle]

You’re amazing! Thank you & thank you for being a nurse also!!

[@paulmollusc1990]

Are there any side effects on those? I swear by melatonin for jetlag but it knocks your testosterone levels so counter productive for training, so I'd research the impact of any other options

[@brodysearle]

@@paulmollusc1990 yeah I can’t have melatonin haha tried it once and was absolutely cactus the next day. Never touched it again 😅

[@dizzy6593]

@paulmollusc1990 as with all medications, phenergan can affect people in different ways! Confusion, headaches and drowsiness the next day can occur. Hence why it's good to try it at a lower does such as 10mg rather than the 25mg, and take earlier in the night. It's essentially the old-school version of antihistamines - the 2nd generation (that you see as telfast, etc) are designed not to affect the histamine that results in tiredness. It's pretty common for parents to use phenergan for their kids when flying. It may be something great to try in conjunction with meditation, etc. So your body associates the tiredness with another action, and you don't need to rely on meds.

[@LawnEnthusiast]

Also, towards the end of the video you mention you’re unsure about what you would’ve got on a treadmill due to your prior experience in sport. In my experience, people that are more experienced in running compared to cycling get ~10ml/kg/min greater on a treadmill compared to a bike. So you’re potentially around 64ml/kg/min which is a bloody good score at this stage for you. Well done mate

[@brodysearle]

That’s interesting!! I felt I could’ve done more cardiovascular wise but I just couldn’t move my legs on the bike anymore, potentially due to no prior experience like you suggested!

[@LawnEnthusiast]

@@brodysearle every single person that has done a VO2max with me on a bike says those exact words (myself included). Your legs will always give out first on a bike rather than your cardiovascular system unless you a seriously well trained, we’re talking pro cyclist here. So whenever i have people in to my lab for testing, we typically say to add 10 to their score which is usually pretty accurate. For example, i did one on a treadmill in december and got 57, but last week i did it on a bike and only got 45. Id say to try it for yourself but i know companies/labs charge a lot for these tests so may not be feesible. May be worth considering in the future though! Keep the content coming, loving it!

[@brodysearle]

@@LawnEnthusiast interesting!! Thanks again mate! Being over 60 vo2 max would be insane!

[@andrewmetcalfe9898]

12:50 - I notice that you have a pretty good musculature. It is possible that you are accumulating a lot of lactate in your upper body from swimming later in the afternoon and evening. I know from my experience that I always struggled to sleep if I did my swim training in the evening (I also am a pretty solid guy as well). Maybe try to do all your swim sessions before 5pm (if not in the morning, which would be ideal for a triathlete, given that the swim is the first discipline in the race and usually done in an ironman between around 6.30 and 9 am, depending on start times).

[@brodysearle]

Hey mate!! This was the first swim that I’ve ever done after 5! I typically swim in the morning 😅 I should’ve mentioned that in the video, my bad honestly 😅

[@andrewmetcalfe9898]

@@brodysearle It’s also worth noting that eventually my body adjusted to evening swims and I could fall asleep a few hours later.

[@HollyDunnDesign]

Another fascinating video! I’d recommend reading Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker for advice on sleep hygiene. It’s a game changer 😴👍

[@brodysearle]

One day I’ll get into reading 😅 maybe a pre sleep thing!

[@HollyDunnDesign]

@@brodysearle It's a great audiobook too! Or there are some good interviews with the author on YT :)

[@nikolasfrode7325]

Hi, just want to say. Love your passion and how u are able to adapt. But be carefull with the sleep. I had my own problems with it and it can destroy your training. Try to speak to professional. Try to change some things in training and life and most importantly get your sleep man. Hope u the best and good luck

[@brodysearle]

100% mate! Sleep is super important!

[@andrewjames2721]

I’m not a sleep scientist but have been optimizing sleep for the past few years and get and avg sleep score of 85. I have two layers of curtains so that I black out as much light as possible. When you wake up and go on your phone, sit on your couch on your phone instead of your bed .If you sit in your bed like u have in previous videos, it’s going to enforce the habit of being awake and stimulated. The bed is for sleeping, so try to make it exclusive to that.

[@andrewjames2721]

I also keep my phone in the other room over night. I use an old old phone just as my alarm clock bc I still need that but hate clocks that have lights bc they wake me up and I tend to “clock watch” when that’s the case.

[@andrewjames2721]

I have also added mouth taping to my routine, but those more so bc I mouth breath a ton at night and end up with a dry throat, so I’d try the other things first

[@brodysearle]

Thanks mate!! Some how Garmin averages my sleep at 90 every night, doesn’t seem to count when I’m awake 😅 My room is about 18.5-19C at night also!! Will defs need to keep my phone out of my room I’d say! This will probably be the biggest one! Thanks mate again!

[@andrewjames2721]

@@brodysearle I use the Oura ring. Some devices track differently. Best of luck!

[@brodysearle]

@@andrewjames2721 my mate says these are great! Thanks for the tips again mate!

[@gregdufeu]

Have you tried CBD oil to help with sleep Brody? I swear by it and have for 5 years

[@brodysearle]

I haven’t mate! I don’t really take anything apart from magnesium and daily vitamins

[@austinstephens9359]

Brooo. I’ve been looking at bikes ton recently and holly crap they cost an arm and a leg. Good luck with ur search for one, seriously

[@austinstephens9359]

Tri-bikes*

[@brodysearle]

Yeah man, haha I don’t have a huge budget too so it’s definitely been hard.

[@jesusmachado9087]

Great video, maybe australian subtitles next time? 😅

[@brodysearle]

English subtitles not working? 😅

[@jesusmachado9087]

@@brodysearle you are right, I didn't think of those and it was only a joke, mostly for your guests not for you, thanks

[@courtdoubleday2922]

'promo sm' 💐

[@brodysearle]

not sure what this means 😅