What this result means
Kenneth Cooper published a 12-minute run as a practical stand-in for treadmill VO2max. You run as far as possible in 12:00, then plug the distance into a linear formula. This calculator does that conversion and nothing else.
The 12-minute run calculator next door is arithmetic: pace ↔ distance in 12 minutes, no VO2. This page is the Cooper formula. Use both if you want “how far at 5:00/km” and “what VO2 that distance implies.”
3000 metres in 12 minutes is (3000 − 504.9) / 44.73 ≈ 55.8 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹. 2400 metres is about 42.4. Distances much below 500 m make the formula non-positive; the tool refuses those.
A track is easier to measure than GPS. Twelve minutes on an unmarked trail with a noisy watch is a noisy Cooper.
Calculation method
VO2max = (d_metres − 504.9) / 44.73. Cite: Cooper, K. H. (1968), A means of assessing maximal oxygen intake, JAMA. The implementation is that line, in kilometres or miles as entered.
Deterministic. Still a field estimate from the 1960s, not a metabolic cart.
Pacing a Cooper badly (going out too hard) understates VO2. Age, sex, and running economy are not in the formula. Do not treat this as medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cooper test?
A 12-minute run for distance, used to estimate VO2max with Cooper’s 1968 formula.
What VO2max is 3000 m in 12 minutes?
About 55.8 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ on this formula. Enter 3.0 km or 1.86 miles.
Is this the same as VDOT from a 5K?
No. Cooper uses 12-minute distance. VDOT uses a race of any distance. They are different field estimates.