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Lactate Threshold and racing

Bit of a general running question, around lactate threshold.

I've done the lactate threshold test, and it ties in near enough with the adhoc readings I've been given - about 163-166 bpm

I've got a half marathon coming up, nothing particularly serious, but I wanted to pace myself using heart rate but not 100% sure what should I be doing.

I understand if I go over LT I'll struggle to recover. But what works out quicker overall, going over it for short durations like hills etc or literally slowing down to never going over it? Can I go upto 170 for half a mile up a hill for instance, or is that counter productive?

Or if I did the 1st 6-7 miles under LT, could I afford to then do the 2nd half a bit over? Or would running the 2nd half just over actually end up being slower than if I'd stayed below LT?

Finally, for a half marathon, should I be staying quite a bit below LT, or can I go right up to it for the whole race as long as I dont exceeed it?

Sorry, its a vague question, but I've really no idea how I should be using this metric, if I should be at all - perhaps I shouldn't even be thinking about it.

Thanks
P.S. if it helps any HR max is about 182

0 webvan over 8 years ago

So what did you get for the LT test, around 165 ? That sounds about right since the Anaerobic Threshold is around 90%. Also equivalent to an all-out 1 hour effort...so unless you're at a world level that's not going to be your HM time ;-) What do you get for VO2Max/Prediction ?

More than the HR that can fluctuate a lot based on many factors (like the stress, heat, etc...) it's often better to check equivalents for recent races on shorter distances. Say if you ran a 40' 10k recently, that would let you shot for a 1h29 HM, PROVIDED you've done the legwork to be ready for that.

0 scotto8 over 8 years ago

Re : Bit of a general running question, around lactate threshold.

I've done the lactate threshold test, and it ties in near enough with the adhoc readings I've been given - about 163-166 bpm

I've got a half marathon coming up, nothing particularly serious, but I wanted to pace myself using heart rate but not 100% sure what should I be doing.

Theoretically I would not give too much concern to going over your lactate threshold, as it more of a training aid than pacing aid. As for pacing, I think it would be a bad idea to slow too much on any hills just to keep below your lactate threshold pace. You will never make the time back up on the downhill sections.

Perhaps keep an eye on your heart rate, probably more to make sure you are not coasting too much. The nearer the start of the run the more I would perhaps hang back on hard sections, but later in the race you eventually want to be pushing nearer to maximum.

Anyway in any race where you have plenty of competitors near by 'to race and to be dragged along by', I would forget heart rate and just go on how you feel. That's how I ran 29:30 for 10K! Hope you have a good race.

0 timgrose over 8 years ago

Presume you also have some idea what that HR levels roughly equates to in pace?

HR alone is problematic due to HR drift. Unless you go off flat out, your HR should take a while (maybe couple of miles) to get up to threshold levels and then if you are at a pace you can sustain it should flatten out a bit.

So if after few minutes you have shot straight through threshold HR, things may be somewhat tricky later on and you probably need to back off.

HR will always rise in relative terms uphill so yeah don't worry if it goes a bit over threshold. Should come down a bit over the top.

And yes it is a good idea if you know some others in the race of similar standard to use them to also gauge your effort.

"Secret" really is to practice target pace/HR in training in shorter tempo runs and/or say mile intervals with short recoveries so your target pace for the whole distance isn't a "surprise" come race day.

0 KR17 over 8 years ago

Thanks all.
Still a bit confused, but then maybe I'm over analysing it a bit.
Forgetting LT for a bit, is there a % of HRMax that you'd generally run a half marathon to? Obviouslt this will be a lower % than a 5K but a higher % than you'd run a marathon at? (Max HR is about 182)

I seem to have had differing expereinces from the Halfs I've done (not many):
1. Seemed to be well into the 170s all the way round but felt great - 1:31
2. Just in the 160s but felt awful and way off the pace - maybe a one-off. - 1:42
3. Took it easy and stuck to 160 dead for first half, then pushed on 2nd half still staying under 170 - 1:33

I think I'm thinking about 3. Could I a) have gone a little higher on the first half of the half (i.e. upto LT) without adding any more suffering and b) for the 2nd half could I have pushed that bit harder or would that have been counter productive.

In an ideal world I'd like to get to sub 1:30, but admittedly I'm probaby not fit enough for that at the minute. But what I dont want to do is repeat 2 above where it was really not pleasant.

Thanks

0 chunkywizard over 8 years ago

I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than picking a HR and sticking to it. If you are ill, under tapered or under trained then you will get elevated heart rate at the same pace. You best bet if you want to get sub 1:30 is follow a training plan, taper properly and don't get ill!

As for HR% for a half, everyone will be different, but for me, with a max HR of 174, when I went sub 1:30 for the first time, my average HR was 88%. 10K for me is around 90% and 5K is 93%.

HTH

CW

0 timgrose over 8 years ago

I largely stopped attempting to race by HR for the sort of reasons CW alludes to.
Assuming the race isn't an overly hilly one, I tend to roll out at a pace that seems about right for my target/fitness and make any mental adjustments after watching lap pace once been running for a few mins. Would still glance at HR but early on it ought to low as HR drift will see it rise anyway. With a bit of luck I also look to see where I am relative to people I know. If people I know are well up the road either I up my pace or face the fact that I am not going well !

Training is the time to experiment with paces and HR so it is not a surprise on race day.