Lactate and heart rate response during three 400-m training sessions

Ten trained male track athletes (VO2max = 64.7 ml&middot;kg&middot;min -1) performed three workouts (conditions) with repeated 400-m runs. The intensity and number of repetitions varied among conditions. Condition 1 consisted of two all-out 400-m runs. Condition 2 was 4 x 400-m runs with the first three reps performed 4 s slower than condition 1 and the 4 th rep was all-out. Condition 3 consisted of 8 x 400-m runs with the first seven reps performed 8 s slower than condition 1 and the 8th rep was all-out. Dependent variables were HR, blood lactate and run time for the final rep in each condition. Peak HRs for the last run were 201, 194, 189 beats&middot;min-1 for conditions 1, 2 & 3 respectively, and were not significantly different. Blood lactate values measured 4 min after the last run were 16.6, 17.8 and 17.1 mmol&middot;L -1 in conditions 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and were not significantly different. Run times for conditions 1 (55.2 s), 2 (56.9 s) and 3 (61.5 s) were significantly different (P < 0.05). The decline in performance was greatest in condition 3. The three conditions challenged the anaerobic system with similar peak values for lactate and heart rate during the final run