Train in the right zones.
Every session.
Test Stages
4 - 6
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Find true Zone 2
Many athletes run their easy days too hard. If you're above LT1, you're not building your aerobic base — you're accumulating fatigue without the adaptation.
Weeks To Retest
8 - 12
Why it matters
Most runners train too hard on easy days and not hard enough on key sessions.
Lactate testing removes the guesswork. Your unique physiology — not a generic formula — defines your training zones. The result is faster aerobic development, less junk mileage, and better race-day performance.
What is lactate threshold testing
The science behind your training zones
Lactate is a by-product of energy production. At low intensities, your body clears it as fast as it's produced. As intensity increases, lactate begins to accumulate — and two critical thresholds mark where this changes.
LT1 (Aerobic Threshold) is the intensity at which lactate begins to rise above baseline. Training below LT1 builds your aerobic base — the foundation of all endurance performance. This is Zone 2 in most systems.
LT2 (Lactate Threshold) is the highest intensity you can sustain before lactate accumulates faster than it can be cleared. This is your threshold pace — the upper limit of sustainable effort for 30–60 minutes.
A ramped lactate test maps these two points precisely for your body, on your sport — treadmill, bike trainer, or kayak ergometer. No estimation. No algorithm. Your actual physiology.
Lactate accumulation curve on the right
The testing process
How a ramped lactate test works
A lactate test is simple, safe, and takes around 25 - 45 minutes. Here's exactly what happens from first contact to training zones in your plan.
Before the test
History & goal intake
We review your training history, current fitness level, race goals, and any available data — heart rate, GPS, previous test results. This shapes how we design the test stages and what we're looking for in your curve.
Warm-up
Easy start at low intensity
You begin at a comfortable pace — well below any threshold. This allows baseline lactate to stabilise and ensures the first stage reading is accurate. For most athletes this is a gentle jog, easy cycle, or light paddle.
Ramped stages
Progressive intensity increase
Every 4–6 minutes, intensity increases by a fixed increment. At the end of each stage, a small fingertip blood sample (0.5 µl) is taken and analysed immediately using a portable lactate analyser. Heart rate and RPE are recorded alongside each reading.
Data analysis
Plotting your lactate curve
Your lactate values are plotted against intensity to reveal the curve. LT1 is identified at the first meaningful rise from baseline — typically around 2 mmol/L. LT2 is the point where lactate rises steeply and becomes unsustainable, typically 4 mmol/L or where the exponential curve inflects.
Your zones
Training zones delivered same day
Within 24 hours you receive your personalised zone report — pace, heart rate, and power at LT1 and LT2, your full lactate curve, and how these translate directly into your training sessions. No generic percentages. Your thresholds, your zones.
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Precision over guesswork
Heart rate formulas like 220 minus age can misplace LT1 by 15–25 beats. Testing gives you exact intensities rather than population averages.
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Trail and ultra specific
Ultra performance is about fat oxidation efficiency and aerobic durability — both of which improve when training is structured around LT1 and LT2. Testing makes this precise.
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Race-day pacing
Knowing your LT2 pace means you can set a race effort that is sustainable for your event distance — not just how you feel at kilometre five.
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Track real adaptation
Retesting at 8–12 week intervals shows whether your aerobic base has expanded. A rightward shift in the lactate curve is objective proof your training is working.
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Works across all disciplines
Trail running, cycling, kayaking. The same methodology applies regardless of sport. If you cross-train, we test the specific modality that matches your event.
Stop guessing at your effort.
Lactate threshold testing reveals exactly where your aerobic base ends and your threshold begins — so every training session has a purpose.
LT1
Aerobic threshold
LT2
Aerobic threshold
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No generic plans. No guesswork.
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Built around your body, your life, and your goal
· · No generic plans. No guesswork. · Built around your body, your life, and your goal
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Greater Aerobic Base in Less Time
Training consistently below LT1 drives mitochondrial density, fat oxidation, and capillary development — the foundations of ultra endurance.
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Reduced injury risk
Training too hard too often is the primary driver of overuse injury and overtraining syndrome. Accurate zones prevent this.
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Better recovery between sessions
Easy days at true Zone 1–2 intensity allow full recovery, so your hard sessions have maximum quality and adaptation stimulus.
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Objective progress tracking
Retesting shows your LT1 and LT2 at higher speeds or watts over time — concrete evidence of improved fitness rather than subjective feel.
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Race-specific preparation
Your target race pace sits in a known zone. We can structure training blocks to simulate race-day demands with precision.
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Confidence in your training
When every session has a physiological purpose, you stop second-guessing. That certainty translates into consistent, motivated training.oes here
Weeks 2–8
Build phase
Training structured around confirmed zones. Weekly plan updates as fitness develops.
Week 8–12
Retest
Second lactate test. Curve compared to baseline. Zones updated. Progress quantified.
Ongoing
Repeat cycle
Regular retesting every 8–12 weeks ensures training always reflects your current physiology.
Frequently asked Questions:
Does lactate testing hurt?
The fingertip prick is very small — similar to a diabetic blood glucose test. Most athletes don't find it uncomfortable. The exercise stages are progressively harder but you stop well before complete exhaustion.
Can I test if I don't have access to a treadmill or ergometer
Yes. A field test on a flat road or track is a valid alternative. We design the stages around your environment. The key is consistent, controllable intensity — which is achievable outdoors with a GPS watch and flat terrain.
How does this differ from a VO2 max test
A VO2 max test measures your maximum oxygen uptake — a useful ceiling number. A lactate test maps your thresholds across the full intensity range, which is more directly applicable to training zone design. Most athletes benefit more from knowing their LT1 and LT2 than their VO2 max.
Can I do this as a standalone test, or only as part of coaching
Testing is included as part of the ongoing coaching programme. It is most valuable when the results directly feed into your training plan and are tracked over successive tests — which is what the coaching structure provides.
How do you handle athletes in remote locations in New Zealand
Testing can be arranged with local sports science labs or physiology providers in your region. We coordinate the protocol, interpret the results, and integrate them into your training plan regardless of where you're based.
Retesting
Your aerobic base will shift. We measure it.
A single test establishes your baseline. Retesting at regular intervals shows how your physiology has responded to training — and allows zones to be updated to match your new fitness level.
Week 1
Initial test
Baseline lactate curve established. LT1, LT2, and training zones confirmed
Ready to train with purpose?
We’ll build the fitness, durability, and confidence you need for your next goal.