VO2 Max Test - Useful for training but does not predict performance

I recently did another VO2 max test in USC's Kinesiology lab to help some new instructors get acquainted with setup and and watch how a test goes.

VO2 max tests are pretty cool - if you enjoy high intensity exercise. You don't need to have one done to evaluate performance, but it does act as a good reference tool for training guidelines.

Here's the blurb I wrote in the description:

Energy Storage for Long Hikes

I'll probably repeatedly go over this topic. Right now I'm going to repost a discussion I added to this thread.

For nutrition, the general trend to follow is, the harder and longer you are hiking, the more simple carbs you need to be eating. This goes for any endurance activity.

The higher the intensity, the larger % you are burning energy from your muscle glycogen stores. When these run out, you will hit the "wall" as well known in marathon runs for example. You simply have to slow down when burning energy from fat.

So the key is to stop those glycogen reserves from running out. How do we do this? Carbs. Simple carbs. Sugar. Bread. These substances (foods with high Glycemic Index ratings) are the best for the same reason they are looked down upon when eating while sedentary: They will be absorbed into the blood stream very quickly.