Lactic tolerance

Today I did two sets of the March strength routine and paddled for 60 minutes.

In the boat I did eight intervals of 75 seconds on, 45 seconds off.  A workout like this is what some people call a lactic tolerance workout, because the body produces lactic acid during the high-intensity pieces and it doesn't have time to dissipate during the short rest intervals.

For me, the main objective of a lactic tolerance workout is to maintain precise form and technique even when the muscles are in utter agony.  I felt myself starting to flail a bit by the fourth interval in today's workout, so I adjusted by lowering the stroke rate a little while still pulling as hard as I could on the paddle.

I try to get in two or three such workouts once I'm within a month or so of a big race.  I always forget what a killer they are.  Doing this one right on top of my strength routine didn't make it any easier; it took me a long time to recover once it was done.  I started it at 0:17 and finished at 0:33, so I still had 27 minutes of paddling to complete the hour I had planned for today, and I spent that long cool-down period just paddling steady and letting my blood flow wash the lactic acid from my muscles.