Threshold Tests are Next Week - Here are Some Tips

The first round of threshold tests at Endure It will take place next week.  If you've tested before you know how painful this can be, if you haven't tested there is NOTHING to be nervous about!!  But it will be rather painful, one way to think about it though is as soon as you start you have less than 30 minutes of suffering left.  At Endure It we threshold test in a manner where we get your average power from a 30 minute effort.  There are other ways and other protocols to use, but we have found that this suits us the best for right now.  Obviously things can change.

So how should you go about attacking the threshold test.  Instead of writing a long narrative, if you want that I'd rather talk than type so just contact one of us at the shop, here are some tips to help you prepare and execute the test.

• Be as fresh as possible with a good night sleep, some breakfast before class, and I wouldn't recommend a super hard day of training before testing.
• Make sure your mind is in the right place.  This is going to hurt, think about that ahead of time and know that everyone else there is suffering along right with you.
• Get a good warm up in, if that means waiting at Endure It before the coach gets there so that you can set up right away and start spinning then do it.  You're not going to burn yourself out with a good solid warm up.  You want to make sure your heart and muscles are geared up and ready to rock.
• Once you start the test stay steady!  If your power is jumping around like crazy it takes more energy.  There shouldn't be 20-50 watt surges, that will hurt later in the test!
• Remember as time goes on it becomes more difficult to raise that average power number.  BUT at the same time do not go out too hard.
• It's better to see numbers increase as the time goes on than to see someone peg it from the start and then fight for dear life to keep their numbers where they are.
• Stay focused, don't worry about anyone else
• Stay efficient on the bike, any movement not directly related to spinning the pedals is a waste of movement...also read waste of energy.  So if you're bouncing around like a kid with ADHD who hasn't taken his meds and instead ate 3 large pixie sticks and 2 cans of Mountain Dew...you're wasting a ton of energy!
• Break the test down into segments...first 10 minutes, next 5, next 5, next 5 and then every minute.
• With those segments set little goals for yourself depending on how you're feeling.  For example, if you're working really hard then your goal might be to hold the average wattage you're at.  Or if it's easy you might want to increase the average wattage by 2 watts in a 5 minute range.  The key is to make small goals!!  If you think you're going to blow things up by 10 or 15 watts you might be setting yourself up for a disappointment.
• Remember this is hard, it's supposed to be hard and you won't regret working hard!!

For a little motivation here is 3 time Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander completing a lactate test.



Don't forget the upcoming Endure It Club Events

November 16 - Club Meeting @ Naperville - 7:00 p.m. - Natural Running Clinic presented by Newton

November 24 - Naperville Turkey Trot - Meet at Endure It Naperville at 6:45 a.m.

December 15 - Club Holiday Party @ Blackfinn - 7:00 p.m.

December 17 - NBC Kona Viewing Party @ Endure It Naperville - Details to follow