Your Lactate Threshold Needs This
Let me first break down WHAT LACTATE THRESHOLD REALLY IS
Most runners think lactate threshold is just one pace.
That’s the first misunderstanding.
In reality, your body has two key thresholds that matter for endurance performance.
Lactate threshold describes how well your body balances lactate production and clearance
As pace increases, lactate rises gradually at first, Eventually, it rises faster than your body can manage
Understanding where those points sit is what allows you to train smart instead of just training hard.
Here’s the difference between THE TWO LACTATE THRESHOLDS
The first is your first lactate threshold, often called LT1.
In this threshold zone:
Lactate begins to rise above baseline
Running feels controlled but no longer effortless
This pace is sustainable for a long time
I like to describe LT1 as “working, but not working hard.”
The second lactate threshold is LT2.
In this threshold zone:
Lactate spikes rapidly
Breathing becomes heavy and rhythmic
Focus narrows and sustainability drops
This is that uncomfortable pace where you’re not sprinting, but you definitely can’t relax.
To improve endurance properly, you need to train both.
So HOW do you FIND YOUR THRESHOLDS WITHOUT TESTING?
Most runners don’t have access to lactate testing, and that’s fine.
You can still get very close using simple tools and this easy to remember calculation.
LT1 is roughly around 70 – 75% of max heart rate
LT2 is roughly around 90% of max heart rate
These numbers vary, but they’re a useful starting point
Or you can use how you feel.
LT1 feels easy to steady
LT2 feels steady to hard
The key is that You don’t need perfection here. You need consistency.
This is WHY just doing MORE INTENSITY IS NOT THE ANSWER to you getting faster.
Here’s the trap a lot of runners fall into.
They realise threshold matters, so they make everything harder.
That’s a mistake and here’s why:
Higher intensity increases injury risk
Recovery becomes harder
Consistency breaks down
Elite runners don’t train hard all the time.
They train deliberately.
Research consistently shows they spend about 80% of their training below LT1 and only about 20% at or above threshold.
Not because it’s easy — but because it works.
So HOW do your TRAIN LT1 or AEROBIC THRESHOLD?
LT1 is often ignored, even though it’s the foundation of endurance.
When LT1 improves:
Your easy pace gets faster
You recover better between sessions
You can handle more weekly volume
This is what most people call zone 2 training.
For beginners, LT1 training might look very simple.
Easy runs
Comfortable breathing
Even walk-run if needed
The biggest mistake here is running too fast.
If it feels almost too easy, you’re probably right where you need to be.
A typical LT1 session could be anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes at an easy, controlled effort.
Nothing fancy. Just consistent aerobic work.
Try to run with only your heart rate setting or percentage of maximum heart rate setting window on your watch as this will allow for you to measure the exact information that you need when you are training your LT1 system.
This is what training your LT2 WITHOUT BLOWING UP looks like
LT2 is what most runners think of as “threshold pace.”
It’s one of the strongest predictors of race performance.
But the goal isn’t suffering — it’s accumulation.
Its all about:
Spending More total time near LT2
Doing Controlled efforts
Building Repeatable sessions
That’s why intervals work better than nonstop tempo runs.
Effective LT2 workouts include:
6 x 6 minutes with 1 minute easy
3 x 10 minutes with 1 minute easy
Steady, controlled pacing
You should finish feeling challenged, but capable of doing it again later in the week.
This is why I have built over 30 different training sessions for my athletes to use that automatically download onto their wearable devices and keep them focussed on training in the LT2 zone without having to remember the workout details. Check out my Ask The Coach Training Package on our website for more details, I have put a link in the description
So how do you go about Structuring YOUR TRAINING WEEK then?
To improve both LT1 and LT2:
Prioritise easy running below LT1
Add 1 or 2 LT2 sessions per week
Progress volume gradually
Use frameworks, not rigid plans.
Your life, your history, and your recovery all matter.
A basic idea for a week would look like:
Monday - Easy or Rest Day
Tuesday – Short or Long Interval Sessions LT2
Wednesday - Easy or Rest Day
Thursday – 20 to 50 minute Tempo Runs @ 10K Pace
Friday - Easy or Rest Day
Saturday – Structure Long Runs with Intervals
Sunday - Easy or Rest Day
Here’s the key takeaway.
If hard training isn’t making you faster, the answer usually isn’t more effort.
It’s better targeting.
Train the right systems, often enough to adapt, but sustainably enough to stay healthy.
That’s how real progress happens.