This is probably sensible, and once we run for more than about an hour the event will be at least 95% aerobic (this level is only about 75-80% for a VO2 max test).

Therefore, a very good measure of an athletes aerobic endurance will be their half marathon or marathon times.

To a significant extent an athletes cardiovascular fitness is a good indicator of their endurance capabilities. This measures the speed at which a relatively light exercise is carried out, and the athletes heart rate is measured as they recover.

A good test for this is the Harvard Step Test

1. Find a step which is 45-50 cm high - this could be a box / a high step / low wall or chair.
2. Take the athletes pulse (measuring for 30 seconds each time) after 1 minute of stepping up and down from the elevated surface, followed by after 2 minutes and 3 minutes.
3. The score achieved is calculated using the following formula:
   30000 / (sum of the 3 pulses x 2)

Scientifically, this is the amount of oxygen the body can use in millilitres, per kilo that you weigh, per minute.

Use this table to measure your cardivascular fitness - if it isn't all that good, then some low level exercise for at least 30 mins, 3 times a week would be a good idea (this is something often neglected by sprinters). We all need to be "fit to train" even if aerobic capacity isn't necessary for our individual events.