When coaching for the bike leg of a triathlon, constant stressing of the physique’s lactate manufacturing mechanism is the important thing to attaining a sooner race tempo on the bike and a smoother transition from the bicycle to the run. If you do not know an excessive amount of concerning the lactate threshold, click on right here for a earlier article on the subject. Sadly, it may be troublesome to coach at lactate threshold for lengthy intervals of time, such because the time required for completion of a 40K Olympic distance biking time trial. It is because the physique buffers lactic acid by combining lactic acid’s hydrogen ions with carbon dioxide (for subsequent transport within the bloodstream and removing as carbon dioxide on the lungs). To blow off this CO2 and retain a physiologically regular blood pH, you have to keep a stage of air flow that may be fairly troublesome. As well as, that acidic burn simply *hurts*!
A superb method to this paradox is to spend small quantities of time at lactate threshold. By pushing on the correct depth for 2-5 minutes, you’ll be able to step by step improve the physique’s tolerance to lactic acid and the physique’s capability to make the most of lactic acid as a gasoline, whereas coaching the physique to work at greater ranges of power output whereas producing much less lactic acid.
As your lactate tolerance rises, the purpose is to ultimately “string collectively” these quick lactic acid threshold intervals to supply one lengthy race tempo depth effort. Here is a pattern interval coaching exercise sequence that may mean you can obtain this adaptation:
Discover a path, route, or street that’s comparatively flat (occasional rolling hills are OK). Heat-up spin for 10 minutes.
On the first mile marker after finishing the warm-up, improve by 2-3 gears and stand to dash as onerous as doable for 30 pedal strokes. This may provoke manufacturing of lactic acid.
After the standing dash, sit and scale back the gearing in order that 90RPM or extra is feasible. Keep the “burn” in your legs, pushing at 85-95% all the way in which to the subsequent mile marker. Relying on how briskly you are driving, this can be a 1.5 to 4 minute interval.
As you attain the subsequent mile marker, gear down and keep the identical cadence, working at about 55-65% effort. That is your relaxation interval, and it’ll final all the way in which to the subsequent mile marker.
Repeat the standing dash to seated time trial effort for the subsequent mile. Carry out 4-10 intervals, switching forwards and backwards from lactate threshold to straightforward pedaling each mile.
Do that exercise as soon as per week for two weeks. After 2 weeks, select one of many intervals and carry out a 2:1 work relaxation interval, which means that you’ll push onerous for two miles as a substitute of simply 1 mile (on solely *one* of your intervals) and relaxation for the conventional 1 mile. So, in the event you’ve been performing 8 intervals, with eight 1 mile sprints and eight 1 mile rests, you may now be performing one 2 mile dash and 6 1 mile sprints, with seven 1 mile rests.
The subsequent week, scale back the interval depend, once more linking two 1 mile segments collectively. Proceed to maintain your relaxation intervals at simply 1 mile.
Proceed to “string collectively” your lactate threshold efforts each week. By the top of 2-3 months, you can keep a a lot greater race tempo depth, with out burning out earlier than the top of the time trial.
Keep in mind to permit satisfactory relaxation and restoration after intense interval coaching, and you will see nice efficiency outcomes!
If you’d like extra exercises, or need your total season’s exercises for each single day of all the yr to be designed primarily based in your private schedule, limitations, or objectives go to http://www.pacificfit.web, and take a look at the triathlon teaching choices, or contact elite@pacificfit.web for extra info.