wellnow wrote:
So if I'm running at 3000m pace am I using mostly slow twitch fibers? It's probably more like 50/50 and at faster paces more and more fast oxidative fibers are recruited, but I am still running at VO2max, right up to my finishing sprint.
Think about it>
ST fibers are the ones which will keep the lactate low, IF trained properly, when those FOG and faster fibers are working hard. Although, IF you don´t have done the LT and VO2max training properly then it´s not enough, because those fast fibers are accumulating lactate and hydrogen ions too quickly causing the drastic slowing of the pace, because a mitochondrion doesn´t work good enough at low Ph.
So it´s not the running skill what MATTERS THE MOST, it´s the metabolism. The neuromuscular ability is very important too though.
You shouldn´t write this kind of things like "It's probably more like 50/50..." Probably or just your personal opinion isn´t good enough. My OPINION is that you of course use a very large part of your muscle mass at 3000m pace but it isn´t the point, it´s the quality or endurance of those muscles what matters the most.