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Lactate threshold (LT) is the heart rate/speed when lactate begins to accumulate rapidly in the bloodstream. LT is a good measure of running fitness, as well as useful for determining heart rate zones for training. The 30-minute time trial track test is a convenient, inexpensive method that only requires a track (distance measure), watch (time measure), and heart rate monitor.
Lactate Threshold Heart Rate Test
Warmup (10 Minutes)
- 10 min jog starting @ easy pace and gradually building to threshold (approximately 5K time trial pace).
Main Set (30 Minutes)
- Run for 30 min @ challenging but sustainable pace you can hold for the entirety of the run. Avoid temptation to start at a pace that’s too fast and leaves you struggling to finish 30 minutes.
- Your lactate threshold heart rate is the average heart rate in the last 20 min of the time trial.
Cooldown
- 5-10 min easy jog