For the record, I hate running - at any distance, any speed - but I do a 1.5 mile Cooper Test 3 or 4 times a year just to get an honest assessment about my card

For the record, I hate running - at any distance, any speed - but I do a 1.5 mile Cooper Test 3 or 4 times a year just to get an honest assessment about my cardiorespiratory fitness level, and adjust my other exercises accordingly. Much to my dismay, there is no other exercise modality that quite stresses me the same way as plain running.