10 x 400 m at 1500 m Race Pace
Ten 400 m repeats at mile or 1500 m race pace with two minute recoveries, a specific session for runners targeting a middle distance race.
- Duration
- 1 h 16 minestimated
- Distance
- 14.5 kmestimated
- Effort
- 97
- Level
- Intermediate
- Focus zone
- Anaerobic
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
100% is your threshold pace. Higher values are faster, lower values are slower.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy jog | 20 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 2 | Warm-upRecovery Drills, skips, high knees, heel flicks | 5 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 3.1 | Warm-upAnaerobic Stride, build to fast, stay relaxed | 20 s | 113-125% threshold pace92-100% HRmax113-130% FTP |
| 3.2 | RecoveryRecovery Walk or jog back | 1 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 10 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 4.1 | IntervalAnaerobic Mile or 1500 m race pace | 400 m | 115-120% threshold pace92-100% HRmax116-123% FTP |
| 4.2 | RecoveryRecovery Walk, then easy jog | 2 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 5 | Cool-downRecovery Easy jog | 10 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
About this workout
Ten laps at 1500 m race pace add up to 4 km of race specific running, more than twice the race distance. Two minutes of walking or jogging after each 400 m keep the quality high. Many middle distance runners use the average time of these repeats as a guide to their current 1500 m or mile pace.
The session builds the specific speed endurance and rhythm needed for the mile or 1500 m. It is fast, so the warm-up includes drills and strides. Run each lap at the same pace and focus on staying relaxed in the shoulders, especially in the second half of each repeat.
It suits intermediate runners with track experience who are preparing for a mile or 1500 m race. Use it every one to two weeks in the build and peak phases. To make it more race specific, shorten the recovery to 90 seconds over the weeks.
Tips
- Run even 200 m splits within each lap.
- Walk the first 30 seconds of each recovery, then jog.
- Stop at eight repeats if your pace drops clearly.
Good forMileTrack
Season phaseBuildPeak