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Performing a Guided Test to Determine Your Lactate Threshold

micro
over 2 years ago

With the introduction of automated training programs, where is the place for the test in question? Since the first alpha in June I have been following the program, my pace at any given HR has improved vastly, but the updates in the prescribed pace for let say BASE workout are minute... Shouldn't they update more to reflect the real performance? For instance for base workout I had 6:30 at the beginning. Now it recommends 6:15 (with the option to follow HR @140bmp) which I do @120 at the moment... What is the solution here?

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to TheSalamander

    I will get back to you after performing the LT test hopefully to shed some light onto the issue. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    1.  This was October last year recorded with my F6. I was 100kg at the time. The test gave Lactste pace around 5:25@168.


    2.

    Done 10.09 with epix 2. I was 95kg. The detected LT pace 5:11@168. Something is not right I thought. If you compare those two screenshots you will see that the first graph corresponds with the give LT and the second is not. It should be around 4:40@168. I went and did the test again. 

    3.

    Done 12.09. Same weight. This time the watch did not detect anything. 

    4. 

    Done today. I weighed 93.6. New LT pace detected. 5:08. Maybe I do not understand this metric and correct me if I’m wrong, but I would expect it to be a little lower after this test. Please advise   

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to micro

    In my experience, the Garmin LT test work really well, for running and for biking. I have been confirming the HR, pace or power with TrainingPeaks/WKO5 and the Keiser M3i indoor bike and found almost identical figures. I also used it to target race paces with success (meaning, I was able to achieve my best).

    I assume you were using a chest strap for the test, and the course you chose had good GPS reception, the course was flat, the wind was neutral, so that we can eliminate measurement issues.

    If you performed the built-in test, It is futile to try to infer the LT pace from the graphs, since the effort periods are in the 5 to 5mn range, the pace is not constant, et.c

    If you think the LT test is off, you can confirm it in a couple of ways:

    - perform a standard 30mn test (then you can use the graphs, if your pace has been even)

    Threshold Tests For Swim, Bike and Run | TrainingPeaks

    - run a 5k or a 10k as fast as you can, or use some previous best race time to estimate LT. Here is an example of an online calculator that includes treshold pace.

    Race Equivalency Calculator (lukehumphreyrunning.com)

    The idea is to confirm that your Epix 2 LT pace is a good estimate. Estimates will vary based on conditions, protocols, approximations, etc.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Etupes25

    Thanks for sharing the links. I think I will need to try a guided test on my Epix 2 now the weather has cooled down.

    My Lactate Threshold according to my Epix 2 is currently 162 bpm @ 4:51 min/km

    Last Saturday I ran a 5k (with some slight hills) in 19:45 minutes in much cooler weather (12 degrees C)

    The Race Equivalency Calculator suggests my Lactate Threshold based on the current cooler temperatures is in the range of 4:09 - 4:23 min/km

    To be fair the last 3 months have been very very hot and humid which would impact the auto-generated results from my Epix 2. If I factor in the heat/humidity then the Lactate Threshold range is 4:27-4:57 min/km from the Race Equivalency Calculator 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to TheSalamander

    These days, I focus on indoor cycling, because of an injury recovery. I have monitoring my loss of fitness and my recovery progress in particular with VO2 and FTP metrics.

    I found that the LT auto-detection doesn't work for biking. The self guided test works well. A couple of weeks ago, I did a self guided test and got a reading of 237W. That is 10% lower than what I get on my road bike, but the Keiser M3i power is lower than my Faviero Assimo power meter as I benchmarked it. Then I completed a VO2Max workout and the watch auto-detected a lower FTP of 226W. The Keiser M3i 20mn test I ran yesterday gave me 239W, and WKO5 pegs me at 241W. So 239W it is.

    I suspect there might be an issue with the LTHR reference. I have erased my sports HR zones, and my running LTHR is about 145bpm for running, and 148bpm for cycling. 

    I am not sure you can see a new LTHR after a cycling FTP detection or a self-guided test. You can see it on an Edge 1030 though. So the next time I do a self guided test, I will run it in parallel on the Epix 2 and on the Edge and monitor the LTHR data on both devices.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Etupes25

    Little Offtopic as I cannot message you directly. You seem like a quite knowledgeable guy. Any books or resources you can recommend for running training theories?

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to micro

    Well, my favorites sources are the knowledgeable ones :-)

    Also,  I like that they don't try to sell they own approach or philosophy and are more measured in their stances.

    Stephen Seiler, PhD is a physiologist publishing on training. Apparently, he published a bunch of videos about various everyday sport science topics during COVID. They are really instructive and easy to follow.

    https://www.youtube.com/user/sportscientist/videos

    Tim Cusick is the program manager of WKO5 and is a cycling coach. His videos are awesome, centered around the use of the software tool. You quickly realize that the concepts have been automated on the watch.

    https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=WKO5+tim+cusick

    There are a couple of ebooks about training with power. You can download them from Stryd.com or WKO5.com

    These are the more academical type sources I use for my own training. I hope this helps!