Blood Lactate Testing in Atlanta

Is there any particular reason you feel like you need blood lactate testing? My advice is use that $200 for a few swim lessons or a bike fit or run stride analysis. Something that is going to help you get faster in real terms.

If you are dead set on getting blood lactate done then check out an Exercise Phys program at one of the local universities and volunteer to be a guinea pig.

I am fairly new to tris and was considering blood lactate testing as well.  I am interested in knowing why you think it is not money well spent.   Might save me money.

Why blood lactate testing?  

The goal is an accurate lactate threshold measure, right?  ATS offers CO2 measured VO2 max testing.  The CO2 measure is correlated well enough to give an accurate lactate threshold measure.  I had this done for $100, when I brought along a friend who also had it done.  I thought this was a good measurement for a reasonable price.  My field tests agreed with the measured LT several times.

I train with power and I found BLT very helpful!

It showed me the near exact place of T1 (aerobic threshold) and T2 (FTP or Functional/Ventilatory threshold), where there was more error involved with the field testing. I had correlated HR and RPE assessments at same time/wattage for additional clarity. 

Matt Rose told me that T1 was THE metric I needed to observe for iron distance racing. He said it was less important for 70.3 and olympic. Basically T1 is the place you can race fastest at using fat as the primary fuel.

T2 Matt said was more important for Oly racing, as that is where you start to use glycogen as the primary fuel source.

The whole goal of training in zones is to become more efficient racing by pushing those data points outwards or upwards. I am no expert, but seeing the graph helped me to know for sure where I was fine to push towards, maximizing my bike in Iron training and racing and also on shorter course to a lesser degree.

Unfortunately, my late change in the bike, for which I blame myself, caused me to not realize my full potential at IMCDA. Had I not made that late change which I belive resulted in my bi-lateral lat cramping that crushed my day, I believe the BLT would have allowed me to really put on my best showing. However, you never really know.

All told, in the right hands, and with a power device, I think BLT is well worth the money and thats one of the reasons why Matt Rose goes to Kona every year. He regularly tests himself!  

BLT is a useful piece of information to have, but at $200 a pop it isn't economically viable for most athletes to be tested on a regular basis. Testing and retesting are the only ways to ensure that your training plan is doing what it is supposed to be doing. For $200 you can get Bike and Run VO2 max tests through TSF which will give you Aerobic Threshold (AeT) and Anaerobic Threshold (which is an approximate LT number). The margin for error on these tests is not so much that it isn't comparable to the BLT and non invasive. You can also verify and recalibrate LT #'s through field testing which is free. For me as a coach BLT is a neat, nice to know number but not a must have.

Phat the reason Matt Rose goes to Kona every year is because probably has a VO2 max in the 80's and trains his butt off, not because he pricks his finger once a month

Just to respond to the above, I don't have a dog in the fight and I'm not shilling for Matthew or TSF (not saying that Rocketman does or that he would offer advice based on his TSF affiliation). I just think when a guy of that caliber, who works as hard as he does (you don't just get born into KONA) tells me that, for my Ironman, THE critical metric is T1 and BLT provides that number with the least amount of error, albeit some error (+/- 5 watts was what he quoted me) you have to ask yourself is it worth it to drop the coin. I had thousands of dollars tied up in 3 Ironman races in the last <2 years so I figured it was worth the $.

Rocketman is right that you can find better ROI on other things, as we are discussing in another thread, but I had those bases covered so I may be providing a different perspective. I wanted to know without a doubt my most efficient wattage (maximum wattage at lower HR, lower RPE, lower lactate in blood) to hold so if I acted like a knucklehead and burnt matches pushing the bike, it was on me for not following the physiologically-based advice I had received. There is more to this story in terms of potential errors, but we are simplifying somewhat.

I should note that, as I recall, my field tests and my BLT were approx 10-20 watts apart. Over the course of 5+ hours, that could have meant a lot. So, perhaps a qualified yes on BLT would be more appropriate.

PS anybody that wants to can read Matthew Rose's multi-part blog and he illustrates how he used BLT this season on his way to Kona. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Don't have the link right at moment.

I was going to comment, but I think Rose covered things pretty well.

Basically if you're going to utilize the BLT as it's supposed to be used then it's worth more than the $200 as it's very vital information. But if you're going to just look at the graph and go "ooooo squiggly lines!!" then it's not worth the money, nor would any test for that matter. However if yourself, or coach, knows how to utilize the information then it is a very valuable and worth the $$

The OP asked about "frugal".

Read forums. Read websites. Do it yourself field testing is free - and a good workout.

You can determine your LT (Lactate Threshold) or "Anaerobic Threshold" or "FTP"

or "Maximal Lactate at Steady State" (MLSS), close enough.

From there you can calculate your AT "Aerobic Threshold" which typically signifies the

*inferred* crossover point between carbohydrate utilization as the primary fuel source

vs. fat utilization. Yes, it's calculated, but it's close enough.

+1 "As Harvey mentioned, when working with IM athletes, this (AT) is the number that is

THE sole concern."

In order to arrive at the start of the run with enough fuel, you have to bike at close to (AT) Aerobic Threshold.  This allows the body to digest what you're taking in, and at this level about half of your energy is coming from fat stores, which is essentially unlimited.

Doing long bricks helps determine if one needs to adjust the bike target pace up or down a little, and adjust your nutrition, in order not to bonk on the run.  How 'wiped out' do you feel when you're done?

For less than $100 you can have a training sessions with a coach, do your own field tests, then meet with the coach again and have him/her review your data.  Then you'll be confident in re-doing it every few months and you can see your progress.