Run Training — Working with Thresholds
Most of you are probably aware of ‘thresholds’ within running. Many of the latest running watch devices have algorithms built in to their associated platforms that will automatically calculate your thresholds for pace and heart rate. However, once you have these values, what can you actually do with them?
In this article, I’ll briefly describe the two main thresholds in use today, then show in more detail how to put them to good use in your training.
Thresholds Overview
The two thresholds relate to blood lactate levels present in the body. Here I’ll call them LT1 and LT2, which are common labels among several, however, generally relate to the same thing.
Lactate is a by-product of the combustion of carbohydrates within muscle cells. At lower exercise intensity, it remains stable and is easily recycled as a fuel. As intensity increases, more lactate is produced, up to a point where production overwhelms the cells’ ability to take it up. At this point, lactate (and associated molecules) flood the blood supply, forcing you to slow down or stop.
It’s worth pointing out here that these thresholds are not a ‘line in the sand’ where one energy system immediately switches over to another. In reality, there is a constant interaction of multiple reactions occurring at any…
