Do a 5km Test
At the beginning of a season, during the base phase of training or during the build phase, you may need to perform a test to establish your training zones for running.
To easily approximate your Functional Threshold Pace (FTPace) and your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR), you can conduct a 5km time trial on a track or a flat road.
Your FTPace corresponds to the pace you can sustain for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your level of training. If you run above this pace, the time you can sustain it will decrease very rapidly. Your LTHR also falls within the average range of 45 minutes to 1 hour of effort. These two pieces of data provide good indications of your fitness level and allow you to set your training zones.
You can also use this test to re-evaluate your fitness level during the season, such as every 6-8 weeks.
Find Your FTPace
After completing your 5km run, take note of your average pace. To find your FTPace, subtract 5% from this number (multiply your average pace by 1.05).
Find Your LTHR
Upon completion of the run, check your average heart rate for the entire 20 minutes. Subtract 5% (multiply your average heart rate by 0.95). This number is an approximation of your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR).
If you don't know your Maximal Heart Rate (HRmax), you can also approximate your HRmax at the end of this test if you finish the test with a hard effort. However, keep in mind that this number may need adjustment through other tests or training sessions to be more accurate because it can sometimes be slightly higher.
Analyze your charts and calcul
Chart 1: This is a 5km test conducted on a flat road by a beginner in running. There is a brief gap in the data between km 1 and km 2 due to the runner passing through a tunnel, but we can still analyze the test. 😄
We can calculate FTPace and LTHR with our data as follows:
The average pace is 5:09 min/km ⇒ 5.09 x 1.05 = 309sec x 1.05 = 324sec = 5.24min/km
The HRmean is 165 bpm ⇒ 165 x 0.95 = 157 bpm
The HRMax is 183 bpm.
Data is rounded to the nearest whole number
Enter your data in a table
FTPace Zones
I use a 7-zone model for FTPace. To set your zones, refer to the table below with your data: FTPace.
LTHR Zones
I use a 5-zone model for LTHR. To set your zones, use the table below with your data: LTHR and HRMax.
Now, you can determine your FTPace and LTHR with a 5km test in running and use these zones to set your training intensities accordingly.
Comments