RunningI’ll never beat the “runners can’t shut up about running” allegations – I’m always rattling on about how ‘Jeffing’ upped my race pace and how helpful strength workouts have been for my recovery. And recently, my beleaguered friends have had to hear far more about my VO2 max than they’d probably like to.I can’t help it, OK? I’ve taken mine from “fair ” to “outstanding” in a matter of months, meaning my pace, stamina, and distance have all improved.Here’s why runners care so much about the metric, and how I upped mine.What does VO2 max mean?Your VO2 max refers to how much oxygen your body uses while exercising (the V part is for ‘volume,’ while the O2 bit stands for ‘oxygen’).When you absorb more oxygen, your red blood cells get more of the gas, meaning they can bring it to more of your cells. Your cells need oxygen to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which gives your muscles more energy. <