Q. I am a young cyclist trying to race semi-pro in the national mountain-bike series. I need to improve my VO2max and lactic-acid threshold. What sort of training should I do? - Evan, Bay Area, Calif.

When runners talk physiology, two terms tend to dominate the conversation: VO2 max and lactate threshold. Although the two metrics are related, they are not the same – and they shape performance in ...

Many coaches argue that lactate threshold is one of, if not the, biggest performance predictor. It determines how fast you can run longer distances without burning out. So, a key component of training ...