Lactate Threshold (LT) training improves endurance by teaching your body to sustain a high level of effort without accumulating excessive lactate in the muscles. When you exercise, your muscles produce lactate as a byproduct of energy production. Normally, when you work very hard, lactate builds up faster than your body can clear it, causing fatigue and limiting performance. LT training targets the intensity just below this point, known as the lactate threshold, where lactate production and clearance are balanced. Training at this level helps your body become more efficient at clearing lactate, allowing you to maintain faster paces for longer periods without tiring quickly[1][2].
This type of training typically involves running or cycling at about 85-92% of your maximum heart rate, which is a hard but sustainable effort for around an hour. By regularly training at this intensity, your aerobic system improves, increasing your ability to use oxygen efficiently and enhancing your metabolic processes. This means your muscles get better at using fat for energy and delaying the switch to less efficient energy sources that produce lactate[1][2].
LT training also improves your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. A higher VO2 max means better endurance and performance. Additionally, as your lactate threshold improves, the pace or power output you can sustain at this threshold becomes faster, making your usual hard efforts feel easier over time[1].
For endurance athletes, LT training bridges the gap between easy aerobic workouts and high-intensity speed sessions. It builds a strong aerobic base while pushing your limits just enough to stimulate adaptation without causing excessive fatigue. This balance helps improve running economy, meaning you use less energy at a given pace, which is crucial for long-distance events[1][2].
In practice, LT training can be incorporated as threshold runs or intervals where you run at a comfortably hard pace for 20 to 40 minutes, or broken into shorter segments with brief recovery. This approach is effective for runners of all levels because the threshold pace is individualized based on fitness. Beginners often see significant gains in endurance and speed, while experienced athletes can fine-tune their performance by pushing their threshold higher[1][2].
Sources
https://marathonhandbook.com/threshold-run-guide/
https://jetcoaching.com.au/exercise-science-blog-series-threshold/
https://runningwritings.com/2025/10/physiological-training-load-for-runners.html
https://www.triathlete.com/training/how-to-turn-your-lactate-threshold-into-smarter-training/
