Cooper 12-minute run test
The Cooper test asks you to cover as much distance as possible in 12 minutes, ideally on a 400 m track. The distance converts to an estimated VO2 max with Cooper's 1968 equation: VO2 max = 22.351 × distance in km − 11.288.
How to run it
What you need
- A 400 m track or a flat, measured route
- A timer (the VO2 Maximizer app times the test and measures the distance)
Step by step
- Warm up for 10 minutes with easy running and a few short accelerations.
- Start the 12-minute timer and run as far as you can at an even, hard pace.
- Walking is allowed if you need it; keep moving until the time is up.
- Note the total distance covered in metres when the 12 minutes end.
Let VO2 Maximizer play the cues and score it ↗
The formula
VO2 max = 22.351 × distance (km) − 11.288Cooper (1968). Equivalent to (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73.
Cooper test VO2 max calculator
Also on its own page: Cooper test calculator.
Norms by age and sex
The metres in 12 minutes that matches each percentile of the FRIEND reference values. Read across to your age band: at the 50th percentile you are exactly average for your age and sex.
| Percentile | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90th | 3090 | 2930 | 2720 | 2420 | 2130 | 1830 |
| 70th | 2780 | 2520 | 2290 | 2030 | 1790 | 1570 |
| 50th | 2540 | 2230 | 2060 | 1820 | 1600 | 1430 |
| 30th | 2260 | 1970 | 1830 | 1640 | 1440 | 1290 |
| 10th | 1790 | 1620 | 1530 | 1360 | 1230 | 1110 |
| Percentile | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90th | 2620 | 2340 | 2180 | 1930 | 1730 | 1530 |
| 70th | 2350 | 1990 | 1840 | 1690 | 1500 | 1360 |
| 50th | 2100 | 1770 | 1660 | 1540 | 1370 | 1270 |
| 30th | 1840 | 1590 | 1500 | 1410 | 1270 | 1190 |
| 10th | 1500 | 1360 | 1280 | 1250 | 1110 | 1060 |
Computed from the FRIEND treadmill percentiles (Kaminsky et al., 2022) with the formula above. A field-test estimate is not a lab measurement; see all values on the VO2 max norms page.
Records
The Cooper 12-minute run has no governing body and no ratified world record, so the real ceiling has to be inferred from the men who hold the 5000m world record. Joshua Cheptegei’s 12:35.36 in Monaco in 2020 projects to roughly 4,770 meters over a full 12 minutes, beating the implied figure from Kenenisa Bekele’s 2004 mark. Inside fitness-test settings the verified top distances cluster around 3,700 to 3,900 meters for trained male athletes and 3,000 to 3,200 meters for trained female athletes.
The full list, with sources, is in Cooper Test World Records: Top Distances Ever Covered.
Articles about the Cooper test
Cooper Test Alternatives: Beep, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5mi Ranked
Beep, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5-mile run, and lab tests all replace the Cooper test. Here is which of the alternatives I trust most, and when I use each.
Read the guide ↗What Your Cooper Test VO2 Max Score Actually Means
Just ran a Cooper 12-minute test? Here is what your distance translates to in VO2 max, where you sit on the percentile chart, and what to do with the number.
Read the guide ↗Is the Cooper Test Outdated? The Case For and Against
The criticisms of the 12-minute Cooper run, what the research from Cooper 1968 to Penry and Wilcox 2010 supports, and when the Cooper still wins.
Read the guide ↗How to Run a Cooper Test (Step-by-Step Guide)
The 12-minute run setup, pacing, stop rules, and the Cooper 1968 VO2 max formula. Everything you need to run a clean Cooper test from your first attempt.
Read the guide ↗Cooper Test World Records: Top Distances Ever Covered
The fastest 12-minute Cooper runs ever recorded, what counts as a real ceiling, and the VO2 max numbers behind the top distances.
Read the guide ↗Cooper Test Training: 12-Week Plan to Run Farther
The 12-week Cooper test training plan that added 280m to my 12-minute run: VO2 max intervals, threshold tempos, base hours, and the right pacing.
Read the guide ↗Frequently asked questions
What is a good Cooper test distance?
It depends on age and sex. Use the norms table on this page, and compare your own results on the same course over time.
Can I do the Cooper test on a treadmill?
You can, but the result is usually not directly comparable with a track run. Use the same setup every time you retest.