Lactate Threshold Circuit Training Workouts

By Rick Morris

Lactate threshold, lactate turn point and stamina training can be a bit time consuming. The long interval training, cruise intervals and lengthy tempo runs take so much time it can be hard to get in your strength and sprint training. If you are in a lactate threshold time crunch, why not combine several workouts into one. Here are some effective lactate threshold circuit training workouts that will save you time and solve your time crunch problem.

Lactate Threshold Circuits

This circuit workout combines some long lactate threshold interval runs with brief speed work and strength training. The easiest place to do this workout is on the track, but you can also do it on the road, trail or in the park. Warm up with 3 to 5 minutes of easy running and some dynamic warm up drills before beginning this workout.

  • Begin with one mile at 10K race pace
  • Now stop and perform 20 bench step ups on each leg
  • Now run 4 x 800 meter repeats at 5K pace with 15 seconds rest between each repeat
  • Stop and perform 20 one leg squats on each leg
  • Run another one mile repeat at 10K pace
  • Stop and run one advanced core plank routine
  • Now run another set of 4 x 800 meter repeats at 5K pace
  • Stop and do as many pushups that you can do in one minute
  • Run one more mile repeat at 10K pace.
  • Stop and do two 20 meter sets of double leg forward hops.
  • Run a one mile progressive run with the first 400 meters at tempo pace, the second 400 meters at 10K pace, the third 400 meters at 5K pace and the final 400 meters as fast as you can maintain.
  • Cool down with some easy running and static stretching.

Tempo Circuit

This one is technically very easy but surprisingly difficult on the physical side. I prefer doing this one on the trail, but you can do it anywhere.

  • Perform a 45 minute run at tempo pace. During your run, stop every 5 minutes and perform one of the following exercises. Perform each exercise one time during your tempo circuit run. Take no recovery other than the exercises.
  • 20 bench step ups on each leg – you can use a park bench, step or even a large rock.
  • One minute of pushups
  • 20 one leg squats on each leg
  • 30 meters of walking lunges
  • One advanced core plank routine
  • One set of double leg forward hops
  • One set of hip roll strides
  • One set of bench dips