The lactate test at Liverpool

So I’m the pre-season at Liverpool players take part in a test called the lactate test. 

The test involves running full out, getting from one set up pole to the next before the whistle blows. However, the length of time between whistles shortens with each interval, so the players need to run faster each time. Then, since that wasn’t enough fun, between intervals, the players have blood drawn from their ear to get their lactate levels tested.

Taking the lactate levels would show the amount of lactic acid that the players have in their muscles after using them for certain amounts of times. 

This year, it was also linked to asthma technology with the introduction of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing using analysis technology. FeNO testing is typically used in diagnosing asthma. So this would be used to check if the players have any other issues the club need to worry about.

So this year there was a surprise winner in the lactate running test…. Not. 

The winner for the 7th time in a row was 36 year old James Milner. He has won every single year since he joined the club in 2015. He is truly a machine.