Two speed lactate test

Workouts this week

Monday: Waterfall 3k/2.5k/2k

Tuesday: 60 minutes of steady state

Wednesday: Nothing. Worked from 7am to 11pm.

Thursday: Strength training (45 minutes of “elasto” and body weight exercises)

Two speed test

After 4 weeks, I did the 4 speed test again. Same day of the week. Same time of the day.

The only difference being that we are in the “short final” of a very big pursuit. There was a problem with one of the partners, and I was expecting a phone call, roughly at the same time as the test. I sent my partner a message that I might be “driving” and unable to take his call, but would call back immediately.

First, a Fletcher warming up:

Then it was time for the main event, two 1ks with 15 minutes of paddling between. The first one at “6k pace” and the second one “2k pace or faster, preferrably max out”.


Workout Summary - Feb 26, 2016
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|Watts|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|02000|06:57.7|01:44.4|307.4|29.6|169.9|181.0|09.7
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|Watts|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-|Comments
01|01000|03:35.6|01:47.8|279.5|27.3|165.1|178.0|10.2|6.9? mmol/L (3.3)
02|01000|03:22.1|01:41.1|339.2|32.1|174.4|181.0|09.3|6.1 mmol/L (6.1)


I made a serious mistake after the first interval. My lactate taking routine is the following:

1. Handle down
2. Wipe hand with paper cloth
3. Wipe hand with wet washcloth
4. Wipe hand dry with paper cloth
5. Prick finger
6. Wipe away first drop with paper cloth
7. Prepare lactate meter
8. Measure using the second drop

After the first 1k, I forgot steps 3 and 4. I measured 6.9 mmol/L lactate. I presume my blood drop was contaminated with sweat.

I did the measurement 3 minutes into the break and measured 3.3 mmol/L, so I guess my real lactate was somewhere around that value, or perhaps slightly higher. Lactate values above the threshold are not supposed to drop immediately after stopping the exercise, as the blood takes up the lactate from the muscles.

After the second 1k I did follow the correct protocol and measured 6.1 mmol/L. After 3 minutes (light paddle), I measured again. Again, 6.1 mmol/L. During the cooling down, I used the two spare strips to take some more measurements. Here is the entire series:

1 min: 6.1 mmol/L

3 min: 6.1 mmol/L

7 min: 4.5 mmol/L

10 min: 3.3 mmol/L

Intriguing results. Compared to a month ago, I observe

1. High lactates (6.1 vs 4.1 after the second 1k, both at 340 W)
2. Lower average heart rates (165/174 bpm today vs 169/179 bpm a month ago)

Here is the graph:

Not sure what to think of it. It’s really a pity I missed the first measurement. In the graph, I put the 3.3 measured after 3 minutes. I think it is quite close to the truth.