Also known as your anaerobic threshold, your lactic acid threshold is the key to running, cycling and swimming faster. When you start to feel the lactic acid twinge in your muscles during a workout, you know you have reached this trheshold. The science behind this threshold relates to your VO2 max, or the point at which your body is able to process oxygen most efficiently. A typical person’s lactate threshold occurs at about 60% of their VO2 max. A professional athlete can get their threshold up to 90% of their VO2 max. How do they get it there?

Intervals
Run longer intervals at race pace with a three minute recovery walk or jog in between. Build up from five intervals to 15 over a few months. This will increase your lactate threshold slowly yet surely.

Tempo Runs
Warm up and then build up to your lactate threshold. Once you reach it, try to maintain the pace for 10 minutes or longer. When you have held out as long as you can, do a nice slow cool down. Try to push the length of time that you run at your lactate threshold pace, adding a few minutes over a month or two at a time.

These training techniques should be taken slowly. You can’t get the results overnight, so follow the guidelines and you will be able to safely and effectively increase your lactate threshold.