What are your thoughts?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-201X.2001.00871.x

So, San Millan pointed out that MCT-1 and MCT-4 are important for clearing lactate, and he said the way to increase MCT-1, which are in slow twitch muscle fibers, is through Zone 2 training. Maybe there are studies that back up that claim, but I found this one, linked above, with Nordic skiers, that doesn’t necessarily seem to fall in line.

Researchers looked at muscle biopsies after 5 months of training at either moderate or high intensity and found that MCT-1 fell in the moderate group and didn’t change in the high intensity group. You would think MCT-1 would have increased in the moderate (60-70% of VO2 Max) group, according to San Millan’s claims. I didn’t buy the study, so I can’t look at the full results, methods and/or discussion, but even just judging off the abstract, the results were kind of surprising when compared with San Millan’s claim.

I think, as you’ll see on Monday’s show, San Millan brings many important points to this discussion of lactate threshold. If I disagree with him on anything it would probably be this:

Just because theoretically, MCT-1 exists in the slow-twitch muscles, and therefore LSD training will increase MCT-1, it doesn’t necessarily follow that someone could just do a bunch of LSD training and still be really effective at clearing lactate and running fast.

Say I needed to build a hole in the ground. If I have two groups of people — those digging (MCT-1) and those carting the dirt away (MCT-4) — training LSD all the time to increase the number of MCT-1 is like bringing 1,000 workers to dig to the site. But, just because they are present, doesn’t mean they know how to dig, right?

Isn’t there something to be said of actually ‘practicing’ lactate clearing by training at an effort that requires lactate clearing to take place? (i.e., maybe I do less LSD, only have 500 workers at the site, but I know these workers can actually dig holes).

In other words, I don’t think you can do 70-miles of running per week at 8:00/mile pace and then hop in an 800-meter and expect to run 1:51 – even from a metabolism-standpoint (and that’s nothing to say of the other elements which go into that type of performance, like running economy, biomechanics, natural speed, flexibility, mental toughness, experience with pacing, etc.)

San Millan seems to suggest that you really only need two training zones – long, slow stuff and short, fast/hard stuff. This might be true with athletes who are either very young or who run races like the 800/1500, but it seems like there is more to the puzzle.

I’d like to see some more studies, and I don’t doubt their existence, which show how certain types of training increase MCT-1 and MCT-4. Until then, I’ll probably just “go kinda hard for the next 20 minutes” periodically in my rides, runs and skis.

Published by rsederquist

My name is Ryan Sederquist. I am a man of many passions and dreams, and this website is the outlet for many of them. I am currently teaching 5th grade remotely in the Adams12 school district in Colorado. I have been an elementary music teacher in Alamosa, Colorado, as well as a 7-12 band director at Lake County High School in Leadville, Colorado. I am also in the final, final stages of acquiring my M.S. in Exercise Science from Adams State University. In 2018-2019, we spent a year in Presque Isle, Maine as I coached the UMPI Nordic ski team. I currently live in Leadville, Colorado with my wife Christie, a special education teacher, and our border collie-German shepherd mix, Ajee. Even though it is not my full-time job, ever since I was a child, I had the desire to do one of three things professionally - pro sports, writing about pro sports, or being a radio talk show host. This website is where I pretend to do the latter two, and when I'm out pretending to do the former, I listen to podcasts, think about topics, and pursue my wild dream of someday, at some event, in either running, biking, or skiing, wearing a team USA uniform. This website contains articles, podcasts, pictures, and journal entries that have to do with my passion and involvement in endurance sports. Our flagship project is the Seder Skier Podcast, which talks mostly about nordic skiing and attempts to interview influential individuals in the ski world. I also rant about the Big 4 sports, with a lean towards Minnesota teams (Vikings, Twins, Twolves, and MN Distance Running). I sometimes try to write Sports Illustrated like 'feature' articles about athletes as well. In addition to a focus on sports, you will find the occasional article or show that discusses the intersection of theology and society ...which is ...obviously everywhere. We place these in our Skieologians podcast. The heading at the top of my homepage reads, "Search for Truth. Play with purpose. Strive for success." It is the underlying theme for my coaching philosophy, which can be downloaded from this site. Basically, I'm always looking to search for the truth in my pursuit of knowledge, whether that is knowledge regarding the best methods for waxing skis, training a quarter miler, or defending my Christian apologetic. Searching implies a dedicated pursuit for knowledge, and that is what I'm about and what this site is about, even if it is simply for providing viewers with an accurate description of a product. Play with purpose has to do with living out our passions because they are fun. I ski because its fun. I play music and teach young kids because there is joy in it. This blog is about celebrating the joy and fun that inherently exists in the pursuit of excellence and in the activities themselves. Finally, strive for success is built on the principle that true success is the realization that we gave 100% effort to become the best that we could possible be. It requires 100% in preparation, competition, reflection, mental effort, etc. If something is worth doing, I believe it is worth doing with that level of effort. Someday, I hope to race the Visma Classics - the entire season, wear a Team USA singlet, and have a job that involves writing or talking about sports or theology all day. If you know of any body I can reach out to to help me accomplish these goals, please email me at sederquistrd@grizzlies.adams.edu View more posts