Anaerobic Threshold Test Instructions

Hi Matt, It’s preferred to do this event-specific / training-specific, so mountaineers might be best served doing it as a long uphill hike. If you have the means to train with a lot of hiking on hills, it would make the most sense to test on a long hill.
If you’ll be doing a lot of running for training, or don’t have a huge hill for an uphill hiking test, then I would lean towards a run outdoors. If you can do it as a track run, it can also give you AnT pace for rTSS.
The Anaerobic Threshold Test should be based off of RPE. You might need to adjust pace to maintain the hard, sustained 30-45+ min effort. Doing this on a treadmill usually requires some pace adjustments, and the delay in adjustment can make it more challenging to maintain a sustainable intensity.
For a lot of runners, this test is at 10k pace. If you are unsure of your pace/effort start conservatively, as it’s really common to start out too hard.
A lot of athletes look forward to this test! When done correctly, this test will be an actual demonstration of your anaerobic threshold, as opposed to an estimate determined through a graded exercise test protocol that you’d do with a GET/metabolic/lactate test. And it’s free and counts as a workout session.