Base runs being recorded as Tempo

ok, I am beyond frustrated now. Yesterday I took my newly purchased Garmin HRM Dual out to do a guided lactate threshold run. Yet again, after completing all the steps, I receive a “no lactate threshold detected message”. WTF!? What is happening?

Are you able to complete the health snapshot HRV test with the new strap?

Yes. The first time it didn’t work. It was blank and since then it’s recorded it a couple of times with the Hrv 

Yes I agree and thank you for your support. I don’t recall having to get that close to my max HR in previous tests.

Might be time to try a different testing method. 

“To find your LTHR do a 30-minute time trial all by yourself (no training partners and not in a race). Again, it should be done as if it was a race for the entire 30 minutes. But at 10 minutes into the test, click the lap button on your heart rate monitor. When done, look to see what your average heart rate was for the last 20 minutes. That number is an approximation of your LTHR.

I am frequently asked if you should go hard for the first 10 minutes. The answer is, “Yes, go hard for the entire 30 minutes.” But be aware that most people doing this test go too hard the first few minutes and then gradually slow down for the remainder. That will give you inaccurate results. The more times you do this test the more accurate your LTHR is likely to become as you will learn to pace yourself better at the start.”

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/learn/articles/joe-friel-s-quick-guide-to-setting-zones/

You can set this up as a workout on GC  

Warm up

Run 10 minutes at X pace

Run 20 minutes at X pace

Cool down

The hard part is figuring out the pace you can hold for 30 minutes. You don’t want fail to make it 30 minutes and you don’t want to finish feeling like you could have kept going a couple more minutes.

This is a good method and something worth me giving a try. That being said, it kind of defeats the purpose of Garmin having a Lactate Threshold Self guided test. I think I need to contact garmin support. I wonder whether there may be a fault or issue with my watch… 

I had the same problem, but my runs are 50%-55% zone 2 and only 20%-25% in zone 3.  I haven't tested it, but I suspect that since the last software update that I would have to run 80% or more at zone 2 and below in order for my watch to rank it as a base run instead of tempo primary benefit.  I would really like to see an answer that deals with the possibility that the ranking is in error.  I am confident that my HR zones are correct as they have been tested regularly for years now.  I have been using a garmin watch for about the last 8 years and this has only started to be a problem in the last 6 months or so.