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AeT Test on a running track

  • Creator
    Topic
  • March 27, 2023 at 7:34 am #76643
    Csaba
    Participant

    Hi,

    I recently did a blood lactate lab test, which gave me an AeT of 157. Honestly it’s not the pace/HR that feels “easy”. So I decided to do a HR drift test to cross check on a running track. With an average HR of 155, it was still below 3%, so the test looks to be accurate. I have two questions:

    1. Running for 1 hour at this new (faster) pace, it felt moderate, definitely not “easy”, although I had no issues keeping it stable – is that normal? For me the easy feeling what I feel I could continue for hours is at much lower HR.

    2. The 400m loop has 2m up and down, is that an issue? Can it subvert the AeT test? So in the 1 hour test, where i run ~10.5km I gained ~56m elevation.

    Thanks,
    Csaba

  • Creator
    Topic

Posted In: Mountain Running

  • Participant
    AlwaysHigher on April 19, 2023 at 6:26 am #77322

    The fact that the track you were running on had some elevation changes probably didn’t have a huge impact on the accuracy of the test. The important thing is that the HR drift test you did backed up the results of the initial test, so you can be confident that your AeT is accurate.

    Participant
    Csaba on April 26, 2023 at 12:03 am #77500

    Thanks!

    Keymaster
    Jane Mackay on April 28, 2023 at 4:09 am #77553

    Csaba,

    AlwaysHigher is right in that 56m over the course of 10.5km will not measurably affect your results.

    Regarding your Q1: As your AeT gets closer to your AnT, it will become more effortful because there are two things going on: 1. metabolic: the effort level at which your body switches to primarily carb for fuel is higher. 2. cardiovascular: your heart is beating faster while you are still primarily burning fat for fuel. Factor 2 means that regardless of factor 1, this pace is more effortful overall. This is why extremely highly endurance adapted athletes such as Kilian Jornet or many Kenyan runners will do the bulk of their aerobic training in zone 1. Having a high AeT gives you an edge for when you need to push the pace because you can go for longer running on fat for fuel. So you might want to adjust the mix of Z1 & Z2 in your training towards more Z1.
    Does that help?
    Jane

    Participant
    Csaba on June 6, 2023 at 5:57 am #78687

    Hi Jane,

    Terrible sorry, I didn’t notice your reply. Thanks a lot! Yes, it does!

    I did the test again today on the same track, trying to keep my pace steady and let my HR drift. Is it valid? Or I should have keep my HR steady and let my pace adjust?

    I finished after 52 minutes, as my HR drifted from about 155 to 165, which felt huge, and I thought that I overestimated my beginning HR and it came close to my AnT (~170ish), yet TP reported a drift of 3,8%, so I guess my pace increased slightly as well, and my AeT is indeed around 155, just as last time. Am I getting this right?

    Thanks again,
    Csaba

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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