Tests
Cooper Test 12 min Run
3 × (15 s very hard, 45 s jog), 2 min jog, 12 min at 3k pace
Running Fitness Tests and Time Trials
Field tests for runners, from the Cooper test and time trials to a 30 minute threshold test, a step test, a drift test and critical speed.
Workouts
9 workouts
Tests
5 km Time Trial
4 × (20 s very hard, 40 s jog), 2 min jog, 5 km at 5k pace
Tests
30 min Threshold Test
3 × (20 s very hard, 40 s jog), 2 min jog, 10 min at threshold, 20 min at threshold
Tests
Heart Rate Drift Test 60 min
2 × 30 min easy
Tests
Treadmill Step Test 3 min Stages
2 × 3 min easy, 3 min at marathon pace, 3 min at half marathon pace, 3 min at threshold, 3 min at 5k pace, about 3 min at VO2max
Tests
1 Mile Time Trial
4 × (20 s very hard, 1 min jog), 2 min jog, 1609 m at 1500 m pace
Tests
3 km Time Trial
4 × (20 s very hard, 40 s jog), 2 min jog, 3000 m at 3k pace
Tests
Critical Speed Test 3 min and 12 min
3 × (20 s very hard, 40 s jog), 2 min jog, 3 min at 1500 m pace, 30 min jog, 2 × (20 s very hard, 1 min jog), 12 min at 5k pace
Tests
20 min FTP Test for Running Power
3 × (20 s very hard, 40 s jog), 2 min jog, 20 min at threshold
Running Tests
Training zones are only as good as the values behind them. A field test gives you a current number for threshold pace, threshold heart rate, aerobic threshold or critical speed, and repeating it every few months shows whether your training is working. All tests here can be done without a lab, on a track, a flat road or a treadmill.
The Cooper test and the mile, 3 km and 5 km time trials measure performance directly, and each description explains how to turn the result into a threshold pace. The 30 minute threshold test estimates lactate threshold heart rate and pace. The treadmill step test maps heart rate against speed, the heart rate drift test locates the aerobic threshold, and the critical speed test combines a 3 minute and a 12 minute effort into one model value.
Test when you are rested, after two easy days, and under similar conditions each time, with the same course, similar weather and the same time of day. Every test includes a thorough warm-up, so do not skip it. During all-out tests, turn off target alerts and run by effort, since the targets on the watch are only a guide based on your current values.
Beginners start with the Cooper test. Runners who want reliable training paces can use the 5 km time trial or the 30 minute test. Marathon and ultra runners get more out of the drift test, and track runners out of the mile or the critical speed test.
Questions about Running Tests
How often should I test?
Every six to twelve weeks is enough for most runners, for example at the start and end of each training block. Fitness changes slowly, so testing more often mainly adds fatigue and noise. A race is also a test, so if you raced a 5k or 10k recently, you can use that result instead of a separate time trial.
Which test should I choose to set my threshold pace?
A 5 km time trial or the 30 minute threshold test gives a reliable estimate for most runners. The 5 km result goes into a race equivalency table or the formula in the workout description. The 30 minute test also gives you a threshold heart rate. Shorter tests such as the mile can give paces that are too fast for runners with more speed than endurance.
Can I do the tests on a treadmill?
The step test and the heart rate drift test are designed for a treadmill, and the 30 minute test works well on one too. Set the incline to 1 percent. The time trials and the Cooper test are better on a track or a flat, measured route, since changing the belt speed during an all-out effort is awkward.