In my opinion that kind of long distance specific workouts aren´t interval training straight.
Consequently that might be seen as repetitions.
I see it and deal with it as short tempo at race pace specific that you repeat on and on, instead of just do one single tempo. If you run “intervals/tempos of 4k, 3k, 2k, mile, that is long enough in distance and duration that ther´s not the problem that in got in a race if you just do short interval training that are run-stop-rest-run-stop rest on and on, the problem that Ron Clarke refers, that short-fast interval training can´t guarantee that you are confident in a long distance run that is something with no rests of recover as it´s the short interval training.
However if you run “intervals” with 4k, 3k, 2km, mile, that kind of distance, it´s long enough, it´s distance enough to able you to deal with long event distance that is a real competition.
Therefore, what´s important in that kind of long distance “intervals” it´s to run at race pace, what is a ultimate of specificity, or said it other way, the prime interest in long distance intervals it´s the pace and the rest/recover is secondary or irrelevant. What is important in that long intervals is that the recovery be long length to promote and able the race pace simulation. Consequently, it´s not relevant an accurate recovery length neither short recovery, or precise (the same length) in between the that long distance workouts.
Ask you question, I say that in long intervals the pace depends of each individual ability. By instance I got some runners that can run 3X3000m at his 10k race pace and others that can “just” run the same 3X3000m not faster that their 10mile to HM pace. However you take both groups the 3X3000m/10k pace and the group of 3X3000m/10mile-HM pace and this last group did faster 5000m and 10000m results.
Therefore the race pace one runner does tempo or long intervals it depends of each runner individuality as well as the length of recovery on that workouts. And of course always depends of the number of intervals, of each single distance of the interval as well. The pace of 2X2000m it´s the same that the pace of 4X2000m and not the same pace than 2X4000m and not the same that 4X4000m.
But normally my estimate is something like this
1000s intervals – 5mile to 10k race pace
Miles/1500s intervals – 10k to 10mile race pace
2000s – 10mile to HM race pace
3000s – 4000s – HM to marathon race pace
Eventually ther´s some like you, people with great ability they are able to run 1X3000m+1X2000m+1X2000m 10k+5k+3k pace and all this with just 1000m jog recovery ! It´s fantastic !
I hope that you might transfer that your ability to the competition. But don´t be concern about the length of recovery on that intervals.