Gobs wrote:
The fastest pace NS prescribes, at least on >400-meter reps, is 15km race pace for the 3:00 reps. That's tremendously slower than a 30m max effort unless you're an Olympian. Or are we just not following paces anymore? I thought this was the NS method, not the Friel method.
I think we have to admit either the Friel test is way off or the paces given for NS is way off. They can't both be correct.
A good hobbyjogger will run a 15k in 60 minutes.
400m reps at 15k pace for 3 mins? That doesn't make sense. Who is taking 3 mins for 400 reps?
10k pace is about right for 400m reps, maybe even a fraction faster. With a lactate meter, that'll get me about 3.2-3.8 mmol and Lt2 for me is 4-4.2 mmol consistently. That's for about 20-24 reps in ~85-90 seconds on 40 seconds reccovey
The paces in the book are about right for me, given good outdoor conditions or a treadmill. I'm running around 50-60 min pace for 3 min reps, 80-95 minutes pace for 6 min reps and around 2-2.5 hour pace for 10-12 min reps. All have me consistently under Lt2 but significantly above Lt1. Which is the goal.
Fwiw on a friel field test outside, 96% is my LTHR and 98% on a treadmill. I've done far too much lactate and lthr testing because I'm a very average runner but over obsessive nut who collects too much data.