Our lactate threshold testing service is one of the most popular and successful in the whole of the UK.

In the three years our clinic has been open, former GB athlete Dave Tune has helped well over 1500 runners improve their performances after having a test here at Blizard Physiotherapy & Sports Performance Centre.

If you are reading this, perhaps you have yet to have a lactate threshold test, have heard those who have have gone onto post PB after PB simply through training in their individual heart rate zones, and now you would like to know more about how you too can reap the dividends.

Welcome to your own personal Lactate Threshold Test journey, which starts here today with our illustrative story board, explaining each step of the process for you as an athlete coming to see us, the experts at the clinic.

Why should you have a Lactate Threshold Test?
Dave Tune’s service is for absolutely any runner who wants to fulfil their potential by training smart. Whether you are a 15 minute 5k athlete or a 45 minute 5k athlete, the test will find YOUR individual heart rate zones, the resulting schedule will aim to fit around YOUR lifestyle, and the advice and support we offer connected to your training and overall health will help YOU become a better runner.



Ok, I’m convinced the test will help me improve my performances and I’ve booked myself in to see Dave - what next?
Well done! You have taken the first step towards running faster and smarter. Once you’ve made your appointment, you will be sent a health and training questionnaire, which we ask you to complete and send back to us at least two days before your test. This questionnaire will cover a typical period of your training, two days’ diet, and some important basic medical points, to ensure you are fit and well enough to take the test. It also gives Dave a great insight into your current level of fitness, and how you have achieved that combined with your present nutrition and lifestyle.

It’s the day of the test - what do I need to bring with me and what should I expect to happen before I get on the treadmill?
Bring two towels, a bottle of water and try not to have any hard sessions in your legs as you will want to be as fresh and full of energy as possible for the test.
The test will take approximately two hours. When you first arrive, Dave will sit down with you for an in-depth chat about your questionnaire data, discussing your diet, hydration and general training. He will then take a few body measurements, including height, weight, body fat percentage, flexibility, and, perhaps the most important of all in terms of tracking your improvements following the test, your hematocrit levels (the percentage of red blood cells in your blood - just a one percent increase in these levels equates to a three percent improvement in performance!).



Time to get on the treadmill - tell me what happens now?
Before you get on the treadmill, Dave will explain the process of the test and kit you out with a heart rate monitor chest strap (either your own or the clinic’s) and a foot pod to track your cadence. He will explain that, after a decent warm up at a comfortable pace of approximately 5-10 minutes, you will be asked to hold onto the treadmill ‘arms’ and ‘jump’ and land on the stationary sides of the machine, to allow him to take the first lactate reading.

















This involves Dave pricking your finger with a small needle and taking a couple of drops of blood, before asking you to jump back on the moving treadmill with care, while he ups the pace very steadily a few km/hr, while measuring your blood’s lactate levels. This process will be repeated every three minutes, interspersed with regular check ups from Dave about your perceived effort level using a sliding scale numbered wall chart, together with constructive comments about your running style and stride length.

I’m on the treadmill now and understand what is ahead of me - how long will it take?
Using the mirror to check on your own running form and the perceived rate of exertion chart in front of you to enable you to communicate with Dave quickly and efficiently exactly how you are feeling on a scale of 1-20 (1 being very comfortable, 20 being eyeballs out sprinting!), you continue with the three minute intervals until you have reached a point where you feel you can’t run any faster or longer. During the time you are on the treadmill, Dave will have collected a plethora of data about your heart rate zones, your lactate threshold levels (the point at which the lactate starts to build up in your blood, usually at a pace that feels comfortably hard), and your running cadence.











































You will be sweaty, (this is where the first towel comes in) you will be tired and most likely want to express this to Dave in any manner of ways, but be assured, once you jump off the treadmill safely for the last time, you will have given us all the information we need to help you train smarter in your individual zones. Pain is temporary, success lasts forever!

What happens now I’m finished on the treadmill?
This is when you will need your second towel, as you take a well earned shower while Dave converts all your results into a big report detailing all of the information needed to put the test data into practice, and make those all important improvements.

After you’ve refreshed yourself, you will have another 20-30 minute chat to discuss the report’s findings, and where to go now in terms of your nutrition, training and future race plans. Most importantly, you will now have your individual heart rate training zones based directly on your lactate test results, ready to start your new sample training schedule given to you by Dave.

What about after I leave the clinic?
You will receive a number of follow up emails from the clinic to check you understand your zones, and are encouraged to communicate with us with any questions you may have related to maximising your new training regime. You will also be given information on Dave’s three-tiered coaching packages, aimed at runners of all levels ranging from bronze to gold, if you want to take your running to the next level, supported by one of the country’s finest athletes.

That’s it! We hope our story board has helped you understand the journey you will go on if you choose to invest in your true potential by booking a lactate threshold test with Blizard Physiotherapy.