Contributing Factors: The Aerobic System

Aug 2

Endurance Training Oversimplified: Produce less lactate relative to speed, and clear more lactate all the time.

The Aerobic System:

MAF if oversimplified to be a HR of 180-age, ie. 180-29= 151. This is a theory from Phil Maffetone (ironic), and I believe does not accurately represent the whole population of runners. Nonetheless is an interesting theory!
Soon enough we will have ways to actual measure lactate during exercise outside of a lab which will give us better numbers than a generalized Heart-Rate formula. With what we know so far, aerobic activity is considered to be near 2mmol/L of lactate.

Some endurance training is moving to a 3 Zone Model vs a 5 Zone Model. The Aerobic Zones 1-3 of the traditional 5 Zone Model all fit within Zone 1 of the 3 Zone Model.
Unique things about the aerobic system:

It grows overtime, almost indefinitely. This is the reason Marathoners can peak approaching their 40’s , and Ultrarunners maybe even later. I believe that getting to work on the aerobic system now will close the gap between you and your older self.
It prevents overtraining. The body can handle A LOT of Aerobic training. If you are starting to dread every run because it feels hard consider slowing down into an Aerobic zone. Most successful endurance training theories prescribe 80-90% of training to be in the aerobic zone. Going outside of that range and attempting a high volume training plan is a recipe for burnout!
It is a fuel efficient system. Similar to how modern fuel efficient cars give you a guide of how much to rev the engine to get the best MPG possible, when you keep your engine in the aerobic zone it can go a lot farther with a lot less exhaust! This goes back to our Endurance Training Oversimplified theory: A stronger Aerobic system is less lactate produced just based on efficiency!
It is a recycling system. Not only does it produce less lactate, but it also sucks some back up and reuses it for fuel within the muscle cells. Less lactate and more fuel- that’s a win win!

There are well known measurements for what percentage aerobic/anaerobic standard running event distances are. Even something as short as an 800m race is considered to be 50/50, with Marathon + distances being 90% + aerobic. This means even when you are revving the engine in a short distance race or workout, a strong aerobic system is working in the background sucking up some lactate, and using it for fuel. Less lactate, more fuel- faster 5k!

The answer is patience time, and time. It’s easy on the daily to push the effort higher, to push for some endorphins or a flow state. Somedays a run can feel boring and harder when you slow it down instead of speed through and get it done. But, it is only if you spend hours, week after week running truly easy that your aerobic system will be stimulated to grow. And that growth will only become noticed over months and maybe years–it is not something you will see an immediate benefit. It is an investment in your future self.

I was recently reading some of Killian’s training theory, he said he spends 90% in Z2 during his weeks, and an example of a Z2 training was a 5-10 hour run! Killian built his infamous aerobic fitness by regularly running (or skiing or biking) easy for 5+ hour for 10+ years. https://mtnath.com/kilians-jornet-training/

80-90%? Really?
- It sounds like a lot, but if you put it into the context of a full training week with Warm-Ups, Cool Downs, and Long Runs it lines up better than you might think!
- In future blogposts I will discuss how to make best use of your other 10-20% of training volume!

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