Twelve weeks ago, Lorraine began a structured training journey to improve her fitness and long-term health using a combination of Zwift rides and gym sessions. We returned to the lab at Bath University to see if her hard work paid off and to measure exactly how much her VO2 Max and efficiency have improved. Discover the power of consistency and see why focusing on metabolic health is the ultimate goal for longevity.
In association with @Zwift 💥
Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 – The 12-Week Challenge
00:47 – The Training Plan Explained
01:19 – Joining the Zwift Community
03:58 – The Stats: 12 Weeks on Zwift
04:49 – Lorraine’s Experience & Progress
08:32 – Returning to Bath University
10:44 – The Final VO2 Max Test
14:31 – The Results: A 13% Improvement!
19:47 – Why VO2 Max Matters for Health
22:07 – How to Join the GCN Zwift Club
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Lorraine’s 13% improvement in her VO2 Max shows just how much can be achieved with consistency in only 12 weeks! Have you ever set yourself a fitness goal like this, and what were your results? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇
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42 Comments
Lorraine’s 13% improvement in her VO2 Max shows just how much can be achieved with consistency in only 12 weeks! Have you ever set yourself a fitness goal like this, and what were your results? Let us know in the comments! 👇
I love Lorraine, more Lorraine please 🤩
❤ You two are SUCH lovely people! You're great ambassadors for the UK and GCN. ❤
It was fun Zwifting with you both!
Absolutely love this video!
Well done, Lorraine! But I just loved how the doggy was in absolute heaven in that couch shot. 🙂
Dan, I'm willing to lend you my wife for twelve weeks.
Congrats to Lorraine. One thing that was also great about this video was seeing the power levels for a "normal" person. I'm a 72 year old, overweight, male and use an FTP of 165 on Rouvy. I haven't done a ramp test recently but think I could probably get up to around 200-220W. Often seeing the power numbers the presenters generate is very depressing – why can't I do that? – I used to be very fit (Fenced in the 1976 Olympics) . I'm a passionate fan of cycling and in awe of what the Pogacar's of this world achieve but it is also great to be reminded that not everyone can do 400 watts in zone 2.
Well done!
Glad for both of you, keep going! 💪💪
Now that’s excellent 👌
Dang congratulations on the increase!
Watching Dan as he`s keeping an eye on his wife, he seems to be in zone 5-6 himself ! Great video !
And really good work Lorraine !!!!!👍👍
So happy for you, Lorraine! 🎉 I wasn’t able to ride with you because of the time difference, but I was rooting for you. It was awesome to see the pride on both of your faces.
Congratulations Lorraine, fantastic result. You worked hard, be proud of yourself. Also glad to hear you're going to be continuing the Tuesday and Thursday Rides. They're a lot of fun. Well, Tuesday is.
Dan, what is your view on set up for a husband and wife set up when you are somewhat different build and only have space for one bike. I am particularly thinking of crank length. How did Lorraine get on with the Zwift 170’s? In an ideal world would you have gone for shorter cranks for Lorraine?
I just got a big butt
I love these videos. Dan and Lorraine's fitness journeys have inspired me
My VO2 Max is only 44.2 but Im just 25 😂
Great effort Lorraine! Super Strong!
Go Lorraine!!
Well done Lorraine – Great effort and improvements! My wife walked in on me watching this, and asked if that was Hugh Jackman’s wife! 😂
It's always great when we get GCN-adjacent regular folks on there. Chloe, Lorraine, all the rest.
Weird question. If the cameras aren’t on, do women wear tops indoor cycling?
Every time I see Dan's house I think wow Lorraine must have a good job.
This is another example of why Dan is my favorite presenter. He makes it easy to relate to for "regular folks", humbly and charmingly. Good work to the entire Lloyd family!
Has she nicked all your old kit?!? Shows how skinny you were in your racing days!
Lovely family 🙂
Dan – I think an interesting side project to this would be to compare your lab measured VO2 results to methods more commonly available to the masses. For example – pick a couple popular sports watches that claim to calculate it to see their accuracy, check a few methods that claim to allow you to test or estimate your VO2 max at home. Are any of these devices or methods at least "close enough" to be useful to measure your own relative improvement/progress over time? Or are they just random number generators?
Bravo Lorraine!
Well done Lorraine, good on you! My winter workout sessions have more resembled your dog’s but maybe I’ll get inspired now.
Tried to get my wife on a bike once …she lasted 10 minutes 😉 I think that is a really cool thing you've been able to achieve together. Lorraine did absolutely smash it and any one of us who have been riding for a while would love to see those kinds of improvements from our riding. Onward and upwards Lorraine!
I have really enjoyed the V02 max Thursday sessions! Great progress Lorraine! Dan, mixing up the harder sessions would absolutely keep me coming!
This was so cool to watch! I love the videos GCN puts out featuring women – it's encouraging to watch more powerful women becoming more powerful and that it doesn't have to take forever to get more fit! 😉
My husband and I got a Zwift bike last year and it has changed our lives. I went from an FTP of 180W to 230W in one year and lost 4 kg, so now sitting at 3.7 W/kg FTP in just 1 year of cycling regularly. Last year we did 8,000km together and finished 2025 with a trip from top to south of Portugal with 120km daily average. Keep going ladies! It feels so amazing to be able to do the things you want to do physically without hesitation! Please keep doing more episodes featuring women GCN 🎉
Great improvement Lorraine and coach Dan 👏. This is a lesson to everyone, cyclists and non-cyclists or people who never participated in sports or gave it up.
I'm a life long cyclist but struggling with arthritis in my knees the last six months and low motivation due to old age and health not being what it used to be up to 50 years of age, but this has encouraged me to try and get back training.
I can see the thumbnail now. "Lorraine joins gorilla gang and leads out Andrew Feather to KOM on the Col de Ratez"
Loved this video! What a fantasic improvement for Lorraine!! Congratulations! I have a week off next week and I am hoping to catch you both for a ride! Normally I am working so can't make it! Hope to see you both there!!
I think Loraine is the only person alive who actually smiles after a Vo2Max effort. props
<3
Love seeing episodes dedicated to women and Lorraine is a great asset to GCN. More please
Day 16 of believing that one road bike could truly change my cycling journey and shape my future. I’m still showing up, still hopeful, and still praying that GCN sees this someday and help me. 🙏🚴♂️
I don’t know about 90 minutes a week, but Tony Horton taught me you can get fit as all hell in 90 days!