Anaerobic or Lactate Threshold running is normally
the domain of middle and long distance runners.
Here the session is meant to be run as fast as possible, whilst remaining entirely aerobic
(in other words, the body is replenished with as
much oxygen as is being used during the activity
- at no stage will the body go into oxygen debt).
To accomplish this is often difficult, as it is
not easy to tell whether you are running entirely
aerobically.
The use of a heart rate monitor can be helpful,
although the actual limit will vary considerably
from person to person, an averagely fit person
may find this limit is 140-150 beats per minute,
whilst a top athlete may be able to raise their
heart rate up to 180.
|
A simpler way to tell, which is relatively
accurate, is that if you are running aerobically
then you should be able to carry on a relatively normal
conversation. If you are too out of breath to
talk properly then you should slow a little.
The thing to remember with threshold runs is
that you are trying to run hard, without being
limited by the amount of oxygen you take in.
These runs will be important for any distance
runner for building fitness and should be hard
work, but you should not be running so hard that
you start to feel that you need to stop because
you are completely out of breath. Another way of
thinking about it is that you should run hard,
but know that if you needed to produce a sprint
finish you could.
|
RSS