300m dirt track wrote:
OP here: thanks Brooklyndan for your post - that's awesome about Lenny Malech.
What I am really looking for are *paces* for 300, 600, and 900m intervals. For instance, if I'm doing 8-10x400, I know current 3k pace is a solid workout, current mile pace is a good, tough workout, and goal mile pace is a very hard workout.
But, if I'm doing e.g. 6x600, what paces would I aim for? Goal mile pace would be out of the question, I'd think, unless I'm trying to really go to the well.
On long runs I tend to do a lot of running math in my mind. I figured the easiest way to convert particular 400 meter paces to odd distances is to just take the 400 pace and divide by 4. For a 300, you would then subtract that number from the original 400 meter pace.
For example, if you are doing 400s on a normal track at 5:20 pace (so 80 seconds) that is equal to 20s per 100m. To find the corresponding, 300m interval just subtract 20s from 80s. Therefore, 60s would be the corresponding 300m pace. Same concept can be used for 600m paces and 900 meter paces. (For 600's, divide the 400m pace by 2 instead of 4, then add: Ex- 5:20 pace = 80s + 40s = 120s/2 Minutes)
600 meters is actually a somewhat more common interval distance and it's possible to find paces for this distance in some calculators, charts, and books (Daniels book has them).
My recommendation is to make an Excel spreadsheet and do the math for a wide range of paces all at once, so that you don't have to do the mental math each time you want to workout.
Good Luck!