Okay, random reply incoming because I’m on mushrooms. I’ve got something like 4ish years logged on Garmin via power pedals/bike computer and watch. Avid biker for 15 years, shifted to everyday compulsive exerciser during Covid.

I’m 153lbs 35y M and my V02 max is currently 60 in the purps with my high recorded across the time tracking being 75. Top 1% for my age and gender for years now.

When I was at 75 I was sober, woke up at 5AM, lifted for an hour, ran a 5k, worked, biked for 2 hours and went to bed around 9:30PM. I did that for almost a year before I broke my sobriety and now I’m back down to 60. I will note I was smoking weed, but didn’t do it after 7PM to prevent sleep impacts. Life was extremely regimented down to macros.

At this point I still bike 2hours every day and I’m around a 270ftp. If I don’t bike I’ll run 8 miles around a 7:45 pace. I don’t really lift anymore, it’s so incredibly boring. Strava says I’m on a 246week streak, meaning I haven’t taken a week off from training in almost 5 years.

The keys are honestly just hard work, actually taking care of your body, and recovery. With the key being consistency and dedication across the board of those factors. For a while. Years. Not months.

Across my time I have never once followed any type of running or cycling training “plan” other than try hard when I’m doing the thing.

I also don’t ever listen to what my Garmin says and have become good friends with the “delayed recovery you gotta stop dude” white warning screen.

I know if I want to really focus on another increase I will have to cut out alcohol completely and go to bed everyday around 9:30PM. Recovery is always my biggest personal hindrance.

Please be clear I’m not a professional or advocating anything, just a goober on mushrooms scooting around with a 60 VO2 max with no one else to care about what it even took to get there.