Originally Posted by
rubiksoval
Why can't you figure it out? If you're used to running, just run as hard as you can for 30 minutes. That should get you close enough. A full-out 10k left me bordering right on the edge of a spectacular blowup over the last 10 minutes.
Only been training for about a year plus a little. I can get an aerobic threshold for 30 minute runs but that isn't the lactic threshold - and knowing the actual threshold isn't really the concern. I'm questioning whether it's symptomatic of some other deficiency, and if so I can work something out to correct it.
Anyway, 90 second 400s at threshold pace isn't a very effective workout..
I know that you have a big aerobic engine. I don't, and hard quarter mile intervals are recommended by some trainers as very effective for more quickly improving Vo2Max. Also half miles, miles, even short all-out sprints ... I think that it does help. I mentioned 400 meters as that's where people seem to say reaches their LT. It could be 5 miles, 11 miles, 200 meter sprints, I am nowhere getting the feeling of lactate let alone accumulating. I run out of wind first.
400s would be closer to 3k pace or faster unless you're doing a lot of them with very short rests.
I'm doing 6-8, with about 1-1 rest/run ratio. It would be tough to stretch it to even one mile, actually even a half in under 3 minutes would be pretty good for my level of conditioning.