Blood lactate recovery and perceived readiness to start a new run in middle-distance runners during interval training

The aim of this study was to establish to what extent ratings of perceived readiness to start a new run are dependent on recovery of blood lactate and heart rate during passive recovery between interval runs (4 x 2000 m) of increasing intensity by 15 male college-level middle-distance runners. The Perceived Readiness Rating scale was administered at each minute of recovery. Blood lactate concentration was measured immediately after runs at Min. 3 of recovery after the first and second runs, and, in addition, at Min. 6 of recovery after the third and fourth runs. Heart rate was recorded continuously during the runs and during recovery. The obtained correlation between blood lactate recovery and perceived readiness ratings after the third and fourth runs were -.36 and -.56, respectively (p<.05). Consequently, blood lactate concentration recovery appears to influence the middle-distance runners' perceived readiness estimation to begin a new run. The Perceived Readiness Rating applied by us appears useful in the training of middle-distance runners.