Lactate Test

Got two/maybe three big things to report on from last week...so for now, I'll do a quick post about lactate testing! Then on the next post, I'll post about Muddy Buddy and biking in Clermont (Sugarloaf Mountain).

So, after being a bit screwed over by coach last week with our lactate testing it was rescheduled for this week on Friday. The good news is that it was a recovery week anyway, so there was no need to really change much of the training plan. We also were able to schedule on Friday, which was a day that Christian had already taken off for us to head to Orlando for Muddy Buddy. We took Thursday completely off from training! NICE! Then got up Friday morning and headed to this new apartment complex with a new gym inside where he does the testing.

Coach wanted to do one of us at a time, so I wanted to go first b/c I was nervous about being stabbed repeatedly in the finger. I have blazing memories from childhood about this gun implement that was used to prick my finger. I remember it hurting like HELL! and it sucking really bad...worse than needles. So I was not looking forward to it. Got on the treadmill at about 4.6 and walked for a bit to warm up. Then the deal was every 4 minutes he would crank the pace .4mph. He would then ask me to stop briefly, stick out my finger, he would prick it, and then get back on. After that, he would ask me to rate my exertion on a scale of 6-20. No problem. Still freaking out about the prick, I started the jog at 4.8 (SLOW JOG!), and stuck out my finger...bang! Hey! That wasn't that bad...even better, apparently I'm a "good bleeder." So he really only had to prick my finger like every other time! Towards the heavy breathing, hard running end of the workout, it hurt a bit, but still not horrible. Even better, it kept getting faster on the treadmill and I actually got to the fastest speed I've ever been on a treadmill (I hate treadmills-the whole fear of flying off thing, especially after watching the biggest Loser! And having to jump off and jump back on for the finger prick!!) But, I survived, and I made it up to 8.4mph (7:03ish pace!) WOW! YEA ME!

So, what did this test tell me? Well, it told me that my HR zones for my long runs are correct about 145-155. AND it told me that on my harder runs, my track workouts, I should be pushing to do pace holdings at 7:45! WHAT????!!!! Are you kidding me? In January, at the marathon, and before, was struggling to hold 11:30s! I was ecstatic to hold 9:15s at the last Oly Tri...7:45s, seriously. So hubby hears that, what does he say? "I told you!" OYE! So, apparently I CAN be a lot faster. At least physically my body is completely capable of holding a much faster pace...awesome...know what else that means? You guessed it...ITS ALL IN MY HEAD!

So, new goal. Throw out all notions of what speed I am for running. How to accomplish that? I have no idea. The mental part of this game is definitely the hardest part. But, from a blog I just read, I'm just going to "Zoom Out" to that pic of my crossing the finish line in Louisville and ATTEMPT not to think about much else, just "do it."

Oh, I almost forgot...I passed my Certified Personal Trainers exam! I'm officially qualified to be a personal trainer...now I just need a job to teach me what the hell that means! :)