I’m not sure if I understand your question. Your pace was the same before and after but now with a better aerobic system its much less taxing.

Were you able to run faster prior to the base training? Is 3:40/KM fast or slow for you?

I assume the pace is slow for you and you want your legs to go faster and to work your heart harder? An 8 min max rep should be high Z4 or so, definitely well above AnT–it’s in a zone and interval length where HR monitoring may be less useful or accurate, and perceived effort is better.

If speed is what you’re after and you haven’t been working speed during the past few months, or at least performing some form of sport specific strength training, then perhaps more speed work could be useful. If you just want a higher HR, or more intense interval, then adding incline may help.

Not sure if I came close to answering anything for you.

— Steve

Training aerobic systems vs. training strength or power are pretty different. It could be that now that you’ve established an aerobic training base, you’d see some benefit from identifying some other low-hanging fruit such as core strength and stability, or power and neuromuscular connection. 8-second hill sprints with lengthy (2-4 minute) recoveries should start to recruit more muscle mass. That’s a very different stimulus than an 8-minute interval.

Hey Scott, I am very interested in this topic, too.

Have been working heavily on my AeT recently, too.
However, I notice that it is now very hard for me to hit higher heart rates as my legs are most obviously the limiter.
T.b.h., right now I do not think I could reach AnT heart rates by any means.
side info: I am training for steep verticals so I do mainly all my base work on steep inclines (>25%), which might further contribute to the fact that my muscles are the limiters quite early now. So 2 questions:

-It is hard for me to see aerobic improvements measured in heart rate. But, measured in pace, they definitely are there. My pace at an “easy effort” keeps increasing significantly, but my heart rate at such effort does not. Is this common?

-You mentioned “strides” to pick up FT fiber activation. This sounds pretty much like hill sprints to me? As my ADS is still not cured and I do not have any specific race event I train for right now, I do not do any (muscular) strength or even conventional Z3 at the moment. You think it would harm my aerobic development if I add specific strength training (a few 10s hill sprints, as described in the book) now? If not, how often per week (1 or 2 times)?

Thank you very much

Peter

Hi Scott!
But is there a way for someone suffering from Ads to prepare for a 65km 2500 d + race in 6 months and at the same time continue the path to improve AeT?
I know that, as explained in the book, you shouldn’t train on this area but if you keep a high volume of slow running at 90% of your workouts, can you train uphill with specific jobs and do a minimum of Z4 even on the plains? Maybe in the long walk uphill while staying under AeT?
Thanks