Stamina:
Raising Your Lactate Threshold
Stamina trains the body to tolerate moderate levels of lactic acid in the
blood while running at a significantly faster pace than aerobic conditioning (where
there is very little lactic acid production). Lactic acid is the by-product of
"oxygen debt" when we try to run fast for any length of time.
Stamina has become synonymous with a more modern term called lactate
threshold training. Your lactate "threshold" is the speed just below the
point at which lactic acid is being produced at a faster rate than it can be removed
from the bloodstream. Research has shown that this running speed where your lactate
threshold occurs is the single greatest determinant of distance running performance.
Lactate threshold running can be performed as either (1) continuous "tempo" runs of 15-30
minutes in duration, or (2) long "cruise" intervals of 3:00 to 12:00 in length with
very short rest breaks. Depending on fitness, experience and your goal race distance,
roughly 8 to 15 percent of your weekly mileage should be devoted to anaerobic
conditioning or lactate threshold training.
This type of training is performed at roughly 12 to 15 seconds slower per mile than your
current 10K race pace and about 24 to 30 seconds slower than your current 5K race pace.
This running speed correlates very closely with an effort level of about 82 to 87
percent of maximum heart rate for beginning runners and about 87 to 92 percent of
maximum heart rate for more experienced and/or advanced runners.
