# This Lactate Threshold thing is confusing???



## BIGGNICK (Jul 13, 2006)

So I'm 25 this season and am on my third year and racing cat 3. I've been researching like crazy about LT and training there and how to find your LT heart rate. The problem is I've found so many different ideas and numbers to go with. I figure my MHR is 202, I think this cause making crazy life threatening efforts I have seen my HR at at least 197, so I went out on a limb and took 202 for a MHR. I also tend to TT at around 180 & reach 190 at times, but always above 180. This rate I can hold for a good hour, I've never tried to go further but probably couldn't do much more. I also have a resting HR of 48 BPM. With all this info I found the Kavorean formula and plugged in 90% for my optimal HR for LT. This puts me at around 93% MHR so that seems pretty high. (I think I thought a little too highly of my ability) So to test this out I did some over-under intervals. I rode for 5 min at 180 BPM and 1 min at 187-190, and then back down to 180 for 5 and back up to 187-190 for 1min. I kept this up for a total of 18 min. and did twice. This was really hard and it made me wonder if I might have chosen too high a percentage to use as LT. I guess my real question is how hard is it to ride at that level? What is the best way to figure it out? I've heard that training slightly below will help boost your LT and I just want to know if I'm even close to what is necessary. Sorry for the jumbled mess but I'm frickin confused. Thank you for any help, Nick


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

You're over complicating things.

Take 197 as your MHR, maybe 200 if you really think it could be a little higher. I've done a stress test to determine my true MHR, and it was right at 200. I've seen 197 in a race 3 times and 199 once.

From there, my Coggan zones are typically about:
L1: <65%
L2: 65-72%
L3: 72-82%
L4: 82-93%
L5: 93%+

Then, read cyclingpeaks for general ideas with how power relates to HR. My HR at FTP (60min power) is about 89% of my max HR, but will vary between 87-91%, depending on the day.

For the most part, you want to be around 82% + 5% for most of your training rides. Consider this your "sweet spot." More on this at these links:
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/power411.aspx
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/cycling/power-training-levels.aspx
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=112091


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## V5CVBB (Oct 4, 2008)

Every way I test or calculate my threshold HR turns out within a beat or two of 172 which is 88% of my max. So what the previous post says seems like good info.

Kevin


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## Shaggybx (Feb 2, 2008)

Can I add some more confusion 
I did the 30 minute tt test on my trainer,recorded the final 20 min and got a 167 average.
A few weeks ago, I did a 1 hr climb on Mt Lemmon and got a 160 average going at a fast steady pace.I was right at the edge of keeping my breathing in control.
So my question is what hr should I use for my 2x20's?
I'm guessing in the 158 to 165 range.

Thanks in advance


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Shaggybx said:


> Can I add some more confusion
> I did the 30 minute tt test on my trainer,recorded the final 20 min and got a 167 average.
> A few weeks ago, I did a 1 hr climb on Mt Lemmon and got a 160 average going at a fast steady pace.I was right at the edge of keeping my breathing in control.
> So my question is what hr should I use for my 2x20's?
> ...


Trainer HR is typically higher than outdoor HR.


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## Shaggybx (Feb 2, 2008)

Forgot about that one.
Thanks


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Shaggybx said:


> Forgot about that one.
> Thanks


Also, a 20-30min effort will get a higher HR than a 60min. This is the beauty of power. There is no lying


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## sdeeer (Aug 12, 2008)

And for many people, training HR is a bit lower than true racing HR. 

I always have a higher HR per RPE (rate of percieved exertion) durring a race than when out training. 

My next investment will be a power tap.


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## Shaggybx (Feb 2, 2008)

I'm going to try and get my hands on a Powertap in the near future.I'm tired of guessing,just going to have to put a couple of dollars away, here and there.
Looks like I'll be going to fewer Mets games this year.
Especially with the new ticket prices


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Your average HR for an hour is just above 180, so say 185. Call that your HR at Functional Threshold. 

Plug it into Andy Coggan's HR zones here:

http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5646

Forget about MHR, LTHR, and Karvonen.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

BIGGNICK said:


> ... I guess my real question is how hard is it to ride at that level? What is the best way to figure it out?


VERY u should be totally exhausted physically and mentally, and be confused about whether you want to stand or sit when you get off the bike after the 1hr time trial  

and that is the best (and unfortunately the hardest!) way to get your true LTHR (bar going to a lab) you average HR for the whole hour gives you your LTHR.


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