How to improve your lactate threshold for the bike leg
Sustained high-intensity efforts will boost your engine size, cruising speed and mental toughness, says Nik Cook

Lactate threshold determines the power and speed you can sustain while cycling, so improving your lactate threshold is key to lowering your triathlon bike leg time.
Some common training adages are meaningless clichés, but a few are golden nuggets of truth. One that definitely falls into the latter category is ‘train hard, race easy’. This sums up brilliantly why efforts above your race pace are so important and effective.
Sustained efforts of 3-5mins, when you’re right at your limit by the end of each effort, are one of the most effective ways to improve functional threshold power (your ability to sustain the highest possible power output over 1hr)and lactate threshold.
A more scientific term for a similar aspect of your physiology to FTP, lactate threshold is the power you can hold without causing the level of fatiguing metabolites produced during exercise to rise unsustainably high. Practically, a higher lactate threshold means you can ride at a higher wattage for longer and therefore cycle faster. In terms of your training zones, both FTP and lactate threshold sit in zone 4 of Andy Coggan’s seven-zone model.
Because you’re working above lactate threshold, your body gets a big training stimulus and, by adapting to it, pulls up your lower-intensity abilities. It’s analogous to a bigger-engine car cruising efficiently at 70mph, compared to my Fiat Panda revving at its absolute max to do the same!
Performance is a mental game too, and by getting used to this kind of discomfort, you’ll be mentally stronger and be able to stay relaxed when the pressure’s on.
3 tips for coping with mental and physical pressure

To cope with the intensity required to improve your lactate threshold, you need to concentrate, pace well and fuel properly.
Time to focus
This is a tough session so you have to be well rested, well fuelled and hydrated, 100% up for it… and then fully commit. You’ll need to focus on nailing every effort.
Pace yourself
Don’t go off too hard, five minutes is a long time. Any pacing aids – heart rate monitors, power meters or just speed-distance trackers – will definitely help and prevent early blow-ups.
Fuel up
Make sure you’re well-fuelled beforehand, and consider using an energy drink or caffeinated energy gel after you’ve completed your warm-up to give you an extra boost through the main set.
The lactate threshold improvement session
Warm-up
- 5-10mins building up to moderate
- 3 x [5secs low-gear sprint, stay seated and focus on maximal cadence; 55secs recovery spinning]
- 2-3mins easy spin
Main set
Ride the efforts in race position
- 5 x [5mins @90-100rpm vigorous to max effort; 3mins @80rpm easy]
Cool-down
- 5-10mins easy spin
Adapt for beginners
If you’re following a triathlon training plan for beginners, drop the length of the intervals to three minutes and, as you get stronger, simply add 15-30secs to each one.
Adapt for Ironman
Ironman triathletes could tweak this already demanding session by trying to finish each interval with a 10sec all-out sprint.