Lactate Testing for Runners
Lactate Testing for Runners
Take the guesswork out of your training with individualised lactate testing. This service is designed for runners who want precise, data-driven training zones — not generic pace charts or watch estimates.
Based on 10 years of hands-on lactate testing experience, I now offer structured step tests to accurately determine your aerobic, threshold, and high-intensity training zones.
What Is Lactate Testing?
Lactate testing measures how your body produces and clears lactate as running intensity increases. By performing a progressive step test, we can identify key physiological points that define how hard you should train for endurance, threshold development, and performance.
Unlike heart-rate formulas or race-pace predictions, lactate testing shows what is actually happening inside your body.
Why Lactate Testing Matters
- Eliminates guesswork from training intensity
- Prevents training too hard on easy and threshold days
- Helps shift your lactate curve to the right over time
- Improves aerobic efficiency and durability
- Reduces injury and burnout risk
The Step Test Process
The test consists of a controlled running protocol with incremental increases in pace. At the end of each stage, a small blood sample is taken to measure lactate concentration.
- Progressive step test (treadmill)
- Short stages with controlled pace increases
- Lactate readings taken at each step
- Full analysis of your lactate curve
What You Get
- Clearly defined training zones based on lactate
- Aerobic (Zone 2) ceiling identification
- Sub-threshold and threshold markers
- Actionable pace and heart-rate guidance
- Explanation of how to apply zones to your training
Why Work With Me?
I’ve spent over a decade using lactate testing on myself to guide training decisions, refine marathon and threshold work, and understand how small changes in intensity affect long-term performance.
This isn’t lab-theory or textbook advice — it’s real-world application from years of testing, training, and coaching runners at all levels.
Who Is This For?
- Runners training for 5K through marathon
- Athletes stuck despite high mileage or consistency
- Runners who struggle to control threshold intensity
- Those returning from injury who need precise limits
- Anyone serious about training smarter, not just harder