I would hesitate to suggest that running hard for 26.2 miles has a quite different metabolic demand than doing a triathlon in 1 hr 50 - espcially in the case of some-one who can raise his vo2 max that much which would indicate that he was in a pretty untrained state to start off with. (have you developed a test to predict vo2 max).

CL - if it is your belief that training to increase your vo2 max is the most important thing to improve endurance performance, then fine, but in my view it will mean that others will always be training more effectively than you

s

ps a certain ms radcliffes vo2 max has not changed much since she was in her early 20s yet she is a much better runner, but then that must be the asthma drugs kicking in I guess