Threshold Vs. Tempo

"His body knows that carb stores would be depleted and so his central nervous system keeps him running within his bodys metabolic limits."

^You've started BSing here, sorry.

Please do yourself a favor and google the central nervous theory. You'll be happy to have done so.

How do you respond to the fact that elite runners have vastly different VO2 maxes, but intensity at lactate threshold is similar among runners at similar levels? Or the fact that VO2 max doesn't change throughout a runner's mature career, but they can improve their lactate threshold continuously?

Lactate threshold doesn't depend on VO2 Max like you say. And it is one of the biggest fallacies to say it is a simple formula: 85% of VO2 max. It depends on so many factors that need to be included.

It is a huge disservice to simply put out a formula, without explaining context of what the workout is actually trying to serve, and how to execute that adaptation.

I did a tree mile tempo run today. It was at threshold pace.

It means whatever you want it to mean, or whatever your coach deems it to mean. It is not universal.

It can be based off of actual lactate readings, current race fitness at different distances or simply sensations.

LJTR wrote:

Please do yourself a favor and google the central nervous theory. You'll be happy to have done so.

Dude, I'm quite familiar with the Central Governor Hypothesis.

Your BSing in distinct from the CGH.

All of you are welcome to look at the findings of Wilmore and Costill 2004.

LJTR wrote:

All of you are welcome to look at the findings of Wilmore and Costill 2004.

One study? For someone who started off with such a strong post:

[quote]They should mean the same thing but many people have no idea what they're talking about when they use these terms. What they both should mean is the exact pace in which your body can nearly flush out all the lactic acid it produces but is just barely producing more than it can clear... (deleted because this part is stupid)...Simple as that. Thanks for asking that question. This is an important topic to clarify.[quote]

You fall victim to your own caution.

You say "Obviously these posters don't mean to cause you hard or deliberately misinform you but they ended up doing that anyways. Be wary of advice with nothing backing it up."

And then you cite a single source? Without even explaining its relevance, context, or application? Lazy posting, for one, making everyone read instead of providing and sharing information. But without discussing relevance, context, and application, you are no more helpful than any HS sophomore posting about what he or she learned in 7th grade health class.

No, I haven't posted any journal articles, because that's not what is important. A synthesis of ideas, and an understanding of how they come together and apply to training is important. The big picture. That's what I've posted about, on the first page.

Tempo is a designated pace that is typically calculated based on percentage of your 5k pace

So if you're a 15:30 runner (5:00 per mile), I'd advise you to run around 5:20 pace, but it honestly varies based on distance because obviously a 3 mile tempo will be harder than a 4 mile tempo which is where Lactate Threshold comes in

3 miles at 5:18 might be equivalent to your body doing 4 miles at 5:21 in terms of lactate resistance, because lets say you went through 3 miles at 5:18 pace, that last mile you are trying to keep 5:18 pace might be storing lactate at a higher rate than what you want as for as objectives for a tempo run

This is why there's no specific lactate threshold pace, but there is a specific tempo pace

If I say I'm doing tempo 1k repeats, I'm doing 5 x 1k in 3:20, 2:00 rest, this shouldn't be hard for a 15:30 runner because he can do 4 miles consistency at this pace, this workout won't accumulate a lot of lactate acid

But if I'm doing 5x1k lactate threshold, there is no designated pace, I'm setting up the workouts where by the end over the 5th interval, I will have accumulate only a negligble amount of lactic acid (hence lactate "threshold"), so maybe I do 5x1k in 3:02-3:03

Tempo = calculated pace (ex 5:20)

LT = varies based on specific workout including duration, distance, and rest, no set calculated pace (ex x:xx)