UKC

Whilst training for a work sponsored marathon a couple of years ago, they arranged for us to go for a fitness test, including a lactate threshold test. 

I plan some of my training based on heart rate zones, and use the zones based on the lactate threshold test I had done.

question is: 

i am quite a bit fitter nowadays, than when I had the test done. Are the heart rate zones still valid??? Or do I need to be retested??

if I remember, it was quite expensive.....

In reply to fenski:

Yes.

In reply to webbo:

Yes they are still valid?? Or yes I need a retest???

cheers

In reply to fenski:

No they won’t be valid.

In reply to webbo:

Ok, cheers

In reply to fenski:do you race often - 5k, ?  If so, what's your pulse at that pace?

In reply to fenski:

As I always understood it, you can't alter your max heart rate (there's a very minimal natural decrease each year), but you can certainly improve your lactate threshold with the right training.

In reply to wbo2:

No, I’m more of a trail/ultra distance runner. 

Looking to start my winter with running/split board (ski touring) and strength training before the spring. 

In reply to McHeath:

That would make sense with my experience from monitoring my heart rate during long runs over a longer period. 

In reply to fenski:

Monitoring your heart rate during long runs won't tell you anything about your max rate, it'll only tell you if you're getting fitter (ie lower heart rate for the same speed). Try googling both max heart rate and lactate threshold, there'll be loads!

In reply to McHeath:

Doing the treadmill test for VO2 Max and lactate will give you better heart rate zones than the approximations from Max heart rate and resting heart rate, but my ear was sore after the test and my watch has not been far off on both occasions when compared to the 'proper' test for VO2 Max. At Loughborough it costs £180 now which is twice what I paid. The lactate threshold on my watch needs a prepared test and I can't be ar...d as I suspect it won't be that accurate. VO2 Max is considered a fair measure of hill performance so I do keep an eye on that. There were a number of other things measured, but that was not so useful for me.

However I like training by feel - just using the watch to record rather than direct and I have got faster and not too often broken using that. You could go with that!

In reply to fenski:

I'd be careful comparing heart rate with other methods.

It's pretty much all relative and your own heart rate estimates will not be as accurate a method.

I'd get retested at the same lab on the same equipment to get the most reliable data.