CLT-1 Lactate Threshold (LT) Test
Workout intended for: racers, strong recreational riders
Total Workout Time: 60 Minutes
This is a 30 minute field test to determine your lactate threshold (LT) heart rate by doing a 30 minute time trial. Perform a solid warm up, and then do the 30 minute time trial (all-out effort) on a relatively flat course.
Record your average heart rate for the final 20 minutes of the main 30 minute time trial. We will then use this number as your lactate threshold heart rate. Follow the test up with a 15 minute cool-down. If you do the test inside, make sure you have a big fan to keep you cool during the test. If you do the test outside, do it on a day when it is not windy. Make sure you are well rested the day before you complete this test.
Warm-up: Begin with a 15 minute warm-up. You will bring up your HR to Z4 before you begin the test. Take as long as you need to warm-up until you feel ready for the hard 30 minutes.
Warm-up Example:
Z1 for 2' – Cadence between 80-95
Z2 for 3' – Cadence between 80-95
Z3 for 4' – Cadence between 80-95
Z4 for 2' – Cadence between 90-110
Z2-Z3 for 4' – Cadence between 85-110
Begin test or if needed warm-up a bit longer
Main Workout: 30 minutes
Main workout Notes:
1. Begin in a gear that you can maintain for 30 minutes. Don't go out too hard early on, hold yourself back for the first 10 minutes (still push it near Z5 though) but don't burn all your matches. After the initial 10 minutes push it as hard as you can to complete the final 20 minutes of the test.
2. Pace yourself so that you can cover the maximum distance over the 30 minutes. Your pace should be relatively constant. The beginning will feel fast but sustainable, while at the end you will have given as much as you can. You should do the test while you are rested - the day before the test should be a day off or a light day of training.
3. Make sure your bike computer is working correctly and ready to record your workout data. If you know how to use your lap feature on your bike computer you should use it, otherwise we can extract the average for the last 20 minutes from your overall file.
4. We are interested only in your average heart rate for the last 20 minutes of your 30 minute test.
5. Make sure you have a big fan to keep you cool if you do the test inside and that you are well hydrated.
6. Good luck!
Test Example:
Z4-Z5 for 10' – Cadence between 90-115
Z5+ for 20' – Cadence between 90-115
Test Over – Begin cool-down
Cool-Down: Progressive Z3-Z1 for 15 minutes
Cool-down Example:
Z3-Z2 for 10' – Cadence between 90-100
Z1 for 5' – Cadence between 80-100