VO2 Max, Heart Rate Zones and Running Paces: The Complete Guide (2026)

TL;DR. To progress in running, three numbers really matter: your MAS (maximal aerobic speed, also called vVO2max), your HRmax (maximum heart rate) and your training zones derived from them. This guide explains how to calculate them (with or without a lab test), how to use them to dial in your plan, and how to derive your race paces from 10K to marathon — beginners included.

If you've been running for a few months and feel stuck on a plateau, there's a 90% chance the cause is the same: your paces aren't calibrated. You always run in the same bubble — neither truly easy nor truly hard. This guide fixes exactly that.

Three numbers to know, three methods to measure them, one grid to dial in your paces — and you walk out with a training plan that no longer feels like a random jog.

What MAS / vVO2max is, and why everyone talks about it

MAS = Maximal Aerobic Speed. It's the speed at which your body uses the maximum amount of oxygen (VO2max): above that, your metabolism shifts to anaerobic and you can't hold it for long.

In practice: a fit recreational runner has a MAS between 14 and 18 km/h (~8.7 to 11.2 mph). An elite runner sits around 22-24 km/h (~13.7-14.9 mph). This speed can be held for 6 to 8 minutes max — no more.

Why it matters? Because all your other paces derive from your MAS:

• Easy aerobic ≈ 65-75% MAS
• Marathon pace ≈ 78-85% MAS
• Half marathon ≈ 85-88% MAS
• 10K pace ≈ 88-92% MAS
• 5K pace ≈ 92-95% MAS
• VO2max intervals ≈ 95-100% MAS

Testing your MAS twice a year is the key to building coherent sessions.

How to calculate your MAS: 3 methods (from simplest to most precise)

Method 1 — The half-Cooper test (6-minute time trial)

Run 6 minutes flat out on a track or flat road, after a 20-min warmup. Distance covered gives your MAS directly:

• 1500 m in 6 min → MAS = 15 km/h
• 1600 m in 6 min → MAS = 16 km/h
• 1700 m in 6 min → MAS = 17 km/h

Simple formula: MAS (km/h) = distance (m) ÷ 100. Precision: ±1 km/h.

Method 2 — The Cooper test (12 minutes)

Run 12 minutes flat out. Distance covered gives MAS:

• 2800 m in 12 min → MAS ≈ 14 km/h
• 3200 m in 12 min → MAS ≈ 16 km/h
• 3600 m in 12 min → MAS ≈ 18 km/h

Longer than the half-Cooper, slightly more precise, but holding max pace for twice as long is hard solo.

Method 3 — The UMTT / VAMEVAL test (in a club)

The reference test in labs and clubs. Run on a track with cones every 20 m, following a beep. Speed increases by 0.5 km/h each stage. When you can't keep up with the beep, that's your MAS.

Precision: ±0.5 km/h. The most reliable, but requires equipment (audio track + cones) and ideally a coach.

BPMoov recommendation: for amateur runners, the half-Cooper twice a year is plenty. Simple to organize, precision is fine for a training plan.

HRmax: THE number everyone gets wrong

Your maximum heart rate (HRmax) is your cardiac ceiling: the highest beats per minute your heart can produce under maximal exertion.

Formula 1: 220 - age (classic but imprecise)

You're 35 → theoretical HRmax = 220 - 35 = 185 bpm.

Everyone cites it, and it's the least reliable: error margin ±15 bpm. Use only as a first-pass estimate.

Formula 2: 208 - (0.7 × age) — Tanaka

For 35 → 208 - (0.7 × 35) = 183.5 bpm.

The Tanaka formula (published 2001) is statistically more accurate than 220-age across runner populations, especially over 40.

Method 3: the field test (your real HRmax)

The only reliable way is to go look for it. With a chest-strap HR monitor (best) or wrist HR, after a complete warmup:

1. 3 reps of 800 m flat out, 2 min recovery between
2. On the last one, all-out sprint over the final 200 m
3. HR reading during or right after = your real HRmax

Caveats: this test pushes the body to its absolute limit. Avoid if you have heart conditions, are on cardiac medications, or haven't run regularly for 6 months. When in doubt → get medical clearance.

The 5 training zones (and what each one is for)

Once you know your HRmax, you can calculate your zones — the classic Z1 to Z5 every GPS watch displays. Here's the standard breakdown in % HRmax:

Zone 2 = THE queen zone. That's where endurance is built, where the aerobic base is developed, where the body learns to use fat as fuel. 70 to 80% of your weekly volume should happen there.

It's also the zone beginners miss most often: they run in Z3-Z4 ("too fast"), burn out, plateau, and stop progressing. If you remember only one thing from this guide: run slower most of the time.

The Karvonen method: the "pro" zone formula

For more precision, use the Karvonen formula which integrates your resting HR:

Target HR = ((HRmax − HRrest) × intensity %) + HRrest

Example for zone 2 (60-70% intensity) for someone with HRmax 185 and HRrest 60:

• Low zone 2: ((185 − 60) × 0.60) + 60 = 135 bpm
• High zone 2: ((185 − 60) × 0.70) + 60 = 148 bpm

This personalizes zones via your heart rate reserve (HRmax − HRrest). It's what Garmin/Coros/Polar watches use in their "HRR" (heart rate reserve) mode.

From MAS to race paces: your plan in concrete numbers

With your MAS, you can compute all your race paces. Here's the reference grid for an intermediate runner:

This grid turns a time goal into a concrete plan. Aiming for a 3:30 marathon (≈ 4:58/km)? You need a MAS around 16 km/h to hold that pace comfortably.

These paces are the building blocks of every serious training plan, from your first 10K to the marathon via your first trail. Once you know your MAS, you know exactly how fast each session should be.

Want to put it all into practice? Pick a target race and apply the plan in the coming weeks. BPMoov lets you save any road or trail race in France or Europe and get an alert when registration opens. → Download BPMoov.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Mistake #1 — Always running at the same pace

The most common one. You go out, run 8K, come back — always in the same bubble of 5:30-6:00/km. Result: you plateau. To progress, vary intensities: 80% easy zone 2, 20% hard zone 4-5. This is called polarized training.

Mistake #2 — Running "too fast" on easy days

Easy aerobic running is really slow. If you can hold a full conversation without gasping, you're there. If you stumble between two words, too fast. The rule that never lies: slow down.

Mistake #3 — Never retesting your MAS

Your MAS evolves with training. If you're still using your January MAS in June, your paces are obsolete. Retest twice a year minimum.

Mistake #4 — Confusing HRmax with average HR

HRmax is a rare ceiling. Average HR in an easy session should be far below (Z2). Beginners often think they need to "hit HRmax" to train well. False. Progress comes from a balanced mix of easy, moderate and hard sessions — not from running at the redline.

FAQ — Your questions on MAS, HRmax and zones

What is MAS used for?

MAS calibrates all your training paces. It's your aerobic ceiling: 100% MAS = the speed you can hold for 6 to 8 minutes max. Marathon, half, 10K and interval paces are calculated as a percentage of MAS.

How do I calculate MAS without a lab test?

The half-Cooper is the simplest method. Run 6 minutes flat out on a track or flat road after warming up. Divide the distance covered (in meters) by 100: you get MAS in km/h. Precision: ±1 km/h.

What's the most accurate HRmax formula?

The Tanaka formula — HRmax = 208 − (0.7 × age) — is more accurate than 220-age across runner populations. But no formula is exact: for your real value, do a field test (3 × 800 m + final sprint, with HR monitor).

What is zone 2 everyone talks about?

Zone 2 = 60-70% of HRmax. It's the intensity where you can hold a long conversation without gasping, where your body burns mostly fat as fuel, and where the aerobic base is built. 70 to 80% of your weekly volume should happen there.

How many heart rate zones should I use?

Classic models use 5 zones (Z1 to Z5), based on % HRmax or the Karvonen method (which uses resting HR too). It's the grid used by every GPS watch — Garmin, Coros, Polar, Apple Watch.

How often should I retest MAS?

Twice a year minimum. Ideally once at the start of a training cycle (early September) then before your main spring goal (March-April). MAS evolves: an obsolete value means your session paces are off.

Do I need to know HRmax to train well?

Not strictly. You can train well using MAS and feel alone ("conversation possible / short sentences / no talking"). But a HR monitor + a properly estimated HRmax sharpens your sessions, especially easy runs and intervals.

What's next

Knowing your MAS, HRmax and zones isn't a coaching gimmick. It's the foundation of every serious training plan. Without these numbers, you run on feel — it works for a while, then you plateau.

Good news: you can do both tests (MAS + HRmax) in two sessions, and keep that data for the entire season.

Pick your goal. BPMoov lets you find and save any road or trail race in France and Europe — free, iOS and Android, over 2,000 races indexed. → Download BPMoov.