Estimation of maximal oxygen uptake from the 3,000 m run in adult men and women

The 3,000 m run is a frequently used field test for evaluating aerobic fitness. The test has previously been validated using smaller sample sizes and with focus restricted to the correlation between run performance and maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O_2max). The aim of the present study was to generate equations for converting 3,000 m performance into predicted V̇O_2max , and present corresponding validity statistics. In total 259 (30 female) military cadets and recruits (18-39 years) participated in the study. The subjects carried out a 3,000 m run and a direct treadmill V̇O_2max test. The Pearson r between V̇O_2max and average 3,000 m run speed were 0.74 and 0.79 in men and women, respectively. Two V̇O_2max prediction equations were generated: (1) Men: Ŷ = 17.5 + 2.57X and (2) Women: Ŷ = 14.6 + 2.48X (X = 3,000 m average run speed in km·h^-1). The equations produced a standard error of estimate of 3.3 and 2.6 mL·kg^-1·min^-1, and limits of agreement of 6.4 and 5.0 mL·kg^-1·min^-1 in men and women, respectively. The validity of the 3,000 m test is comparable to other indirect maximal running tests and is a time-effective alternative aerobic fitness test in healthy and motivated subjects.