LT Testing this Fall

I've got that burnin' feelin', ohhhh that burnin' feelin'...

The burning sensation you feel in your muscles during a fast or long run is caused by lactic acid. It can inhibit muscle contraction and energy production causing slow running speed and fatigue. Not something you want at mile 22.

To improve endurance, fitness and/or speed it is helpful to know at what intensity to push yourself in training runs - and it is different for different people. It is dependent on genetics, fitness level and experience. Knowing your lactate threshold (LT) can help.

LT is the point at which lactic acid begins to build up in the blood. Knowing your heart rate and/or running speed at that point is important in endurance training. It gives you and your coach a tangible number that can guide your training. Training effectively with LT causes changes in the skeletal muscle allowing it to more effectively produce energy. Coach Amy's training regimens take into account LT for those who want to use it.

There are several ways to calculate your lactate threshold (LT). The most accurate way is with a VO2 max test. A less accurate yet effective way to calculate LT is with a time trial.

This fall PB will be taking a field trip to KU's REACH lab for testing! The cost is $100.00 per participant. Appointments are about 60-90 minutes in length. We will be scheduling these for August. If you are interested, please contact us at kcrunning@hotmail.com ASAP.

For those who prefer not to participate in VO2 max testing, a 30 minute time trial will be conducted on Wednesday, August 29th at Sport and Spine, by appointment starting at 6:30 p.m. To schedule, contact us as kcrunning@hotmail.com.