1 Mile Time Trial
A solo all-out mile on the track after a thorough warm-up, to measure speed and derive training paces for 1500 m to 10k training.
- Duration
- 42 minestimated
- Distance
- 7.9 kmestimated
- Effort
- 53
- 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 18 min, add drills | 18 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 2.1 | IntervalAnaerobic Stride | 20 s | 113-125% threshold pace92-100% HRmax113-130% FTP |
| 2.2 | RecoveryRecovery Walk back | 1 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 3 | RecoveryRecovery Jog to the start | 2 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 4 | IntervalAnaerobic 1 mile, all you can sustain | 1609 m | 115-120% threshold pace92-100% HRmax113-130% FTP |
| 5 | Cool-downRecovery Easy jog | 10 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
About this workout
The mile tests speed more than endurance, which makes it a useful partner to longer tests such as the 5 km time trial. It is short, sharp and easy to repeat, and the result can go into race equivalency tables to set interval paces.
Warm up for 15 to 20 minutes with easy running, a few drills and four strides. Run four laps of a 400 m track plus nine meters, as fast as you can sustain. The first lap should feel quick but controlled, the third lap is usually the hardest to hold, and the last lap is a full effort. Cool down for ten minutes.
To estimate threshold pace, convert the mile time to pace per kilometer and multiply it by about 1.17. A 6 minute mile, about 3:44 per km, gives a threshold pace of about 4:22 per km. For runners with more speed than endurance, this can give threshold paces that are too fast, so cross-check with a 5 km test.
Tips
- Run in lane one, GPS distance on a track is often off.
- Run alone or with a partner of similar speed.
- Count the laps out loud if you tend to lose track.
Good forMile5kTrack
Season phaseBuildPeakAny time