This past weekend I took a lactate threshold test with my coach Jason Kask. For those of you who are not familiar with this type of test, it involves running for progressively faster for fixed intervals of time and taking your heart rate and a small blood sample between each interval. Using a little testing device similar to a blood sugar monitor, you can measure your blood lactate level - the amount of lactic acid your body is accumulating as you train. After the test you can graph the lactate levels against your heart rate during the test to determine your training zones. Using this information with a heart rate monitor is one way you can ensure that you are not training too hard on easy days or too easy on hard days.
The Superior Performance lab in Duluth, MNMy test results were very positive. My heart rates for my training zones did not shift much, but my speed in these zones went up significantly. This means that the speed that I can run while still under or in my threshold zone is faster than last year during race season. This is a really good sign for my upcoming ultras!
Getting ready to take a blood sample at the end of a stageIf you have any other questions about lactate threshold tests, training zones, or are interested in some coaching I would encourage you to contact Jason Kask and Superior Performance at their website: http://www.superior-performance.net
