Lactate Threshold and VO2 max as I understand it

   I recently scheduled a visit to the Fitness Institute of Texas for an evaluation of my running and fitness performance. They measured my height, weight, body fat percentile, heart rate, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), and lactate threshold (LT). It was a very informative session that included a consultation with the director of the institute. Besides bio mechanics, VO2 max and lactate threshold are the two best indicators of potential performance of an athlete.  I will talk a little bit about lactate threshold and VO2 max and how it relates to my training.
   When you exercise, in this instance run, your muscles produce lactic acid as a result of glycolysis. The more intense the run the more lactic acid is built up in the muscles. Fatigue sets in when there is an over abundance of lactic acid in the muscles and they cannot properly contract. LT occurs when lactic acid spills over into the blood stream and can be measured for performance purposes at the rate of heart beats per minute (HR).  Running right at your LT level will allow the endurance athlete to maintain speed and stave off fatigue for a longer amount of time than running past your LT.
   Another important factor is a runners VO2 max. The more intense the exercise activity the more oxygen the body requires to perform that activity. In other words the harder you run the more labored your breathing. VO2 max measures the maximal oxygen that the body takes in per minute. This number is recorded alongside HR to predict future performance. If the body was a car then VO2 max would be the miles per gallon. For a novice athlete the VO2 max can be increased by about 20% with training. The more experienced athlete will see only minimal change in their VO2 max. 
   Testing for these numbers is done in a controlled environment like a sports lab. While running on a treadmill the athlete wears a heart rate monitor. The speed of the treadmill is periodically increased to raise the intensity level of the session and to increase the heart rate of the participant. After warming up the test administrator checks the lactic acid level in the blood periodically by pricking the earlobe. Once LT is reached then the athlete dons a headpiece that holds the breathing tubes in place. The amount of oxygen the body takes in is measured this way at maximal effort.

With these numbers I am now able to tailor my training to produce better results at my races.

My Stats are:

•  35 years old
• 195 lbs
• 16.8 % body fat
• VO2 max 45 (mL/kg/min)
• LT occurs at HR of 165
• LT also occurs at 87.5% of VO2 max

After consulting with the fitness director I now have a more direct method of performing better. Out of all of these stats the percentage of my VO2 max that I hit my lactate threshold is the best. My main goal now is to raise my LT level while simultaneously lowering my body fat percentage. Based on this test on my best day, optimal weight, body fat % and racing conditions, I could run a 3:15 marathon. Currently my stats predict a 3:26 marathon. Although many other factors go into the final outcome of a race this information is definitely a confidence booster. I feel better equipped to make the most of my training.

Cycle Test

 I scheduled myself for a bike test, core workout and a long swim. The sleet in Austin canceled my outdoor swim but I was able to do a bike test and a core workout.
  The bike test was a way to find my lactate threshold. Lactate threshold is basically the maximum amount of effort you can sustain while your blood pumps the lactic acid buildup out of your muscles. Knowing this number is important to structure your workouts for intensity and duration for each of the three disciplines. In order to control variables such as wind speed, incline and road conditions, I did the test on my trainer indoors.
I started with a 10 minute warm up to get my heart rate up. After that I got up to 15 mph and timed myself at every half mile. At every interval I noted my heart rate, perceived exertion level, speed and time. Then I increased my speed by one mph for every half mile until I could not go any longer. I figured my LT for cycling to be about 162-165 beats per minute(bpm). I also noted the time it took for my heart rate to return to the starting rate of 105 bpm. It took 3 minutes. Knowing this info is a good starting point to modify my effort level in future workouts and have a baseline to measure myself in future fitness tests.
My friend, Mark Enstone, suggested to go for a quick run as soon as you get off the bike to get used to the feeling of "running off the bike." Since I was only running a mile I thought this was also a good opportunity to run with my dog, Oskar, a 6 month old australian cattle dog mix. He did pretty good for his first run but he needs a ton of work.

As soon as I got back I went ahead and did my core work out that I found on Runners World website here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263--13030-2-1X2X3X4-5,00.html while adding a few push ups and seated rows with an exercise resistance band.
After eating I was dressed to go swimming when I opened my door to see it sleeting. For now no swimming for me in the near freezing conditions.