4x1 mile workout

I think you are correct. Slow down.

That workout likely will be near impossible. I find more value in mile intervals closer to 5k pace with less recovery.

It would be a very hard workout. What is your two mile time?

I don't think it would be impossible unless you are very elite. For instance, 4*6:00 with 6:00 rest is very hard, but doable and 4*4:00 with 4:00 rest would be impossible.

I agree that 5k pace would be far more reasonable than two mile pace.

your coach is an idiot. Must be from cali. No need for a HS kid to ever run 4 x 1 mile during track season or any season.

Nothing wrong with a 4x1 mile workout if done properly, if his coach really assigned it as op stated that is not correct at all!

I wish I was joking. That is legitimately what I was assigned…

Also…I’m still trying to understand why this exact same workout was given to the 800m runners on my team. I am a 2 miler. Is my coach going insane and am I cooked this season??

You are correct. The good news is that you figured it out ahead of time. If you run 3200 pace plus about 5%-7%, you can finish strong, while everyone who started at 3200 pace will be suffering, gasping for air or dropping out.

You're coach will learn quickly that he made a mistake -- without your having to say anything.

Great, thanks a lot. Is equal rest too much for this workout, or is it still difficult enough?

This makes no sense. Will your coach be observing the workout or can you do it on your own. I would talk to them beforehand about doing something like 2 x 1 mile @ tempo + 2 x 1 mile @ race pace w./ full rest. Even that could be a lot, depending on the athlete. 2 x 1 @ race pace is plenty on its own. You could always tack on some shorter reps after the 2 x 1 @ race pace if you need more volume or want to touch on some speed. 4 x mile @ 5k is the most aggressive workout I'd give a runner & even 3 x 1 is usually enough.

I would say start about 10-15 seconds slower than your 2-mile race pace for the first rep to feel the workout out. If you feel good, you can slowly cut down the pace and maybe run the last rep actually at 2-mile pace. But I think trying to run that first rep that fast would ruin the rest of your workout, best to get warmed up into it.

Agreed. I don't ever find much of a reason to run miles at 3200/3k pace. In college as a 8:30ish 3k guy, I only remember running a couple of miles sub 4:40. (race pace is low 4:30s). I don't really even like having runners do 5k pace miles very often. I usually use 1000-2000m for threshold work and keep anything faster than 10k pace to 1200 or shorter.

You might be able to pull it off with that kind of rest, but it will still feel like you are racing the workout by the end. I agree with the poster who said 5k pace with shorter rest makes sense. Heck, even with the same rest. 3x1600 at 5k pace used to be a staple workout for us, two lap jog rest beginning of the season and a one lap jog rest by the end.

But, to be fair, I usually did do the last two at 3200 pace…

Sorry, I meant the last rep not the last two. So, starting at 5k pace, then last rep 3200 pace, but it did feel pretty close to all out, which was probably not constructive.

The proper pace for 4xmile repeats would be 88% of 2 mile pace (technically vVO2 pace but simpler to just take 2 mile pace)...and move faster through the season both through fitness (2 mile improvement) but also by increasing by 1%, eventually to 93% of two mile pace but not faster, ever. In HS these should only be done every other week and at least three or four days before any race days. Rests could be 1 to 1 for most athletes but the top performers could do four minute rests.

do it more at your 5k pace... rest 2 min jog.