3x1 mile

5krunner94 wrote:

Is 3x1 mile off 1' the best predictor workout for 5000 meters?

Not sure it’s the “best” predictor but probably pretty close. I used to do a “staple” workout of 3x1600 with a two lap jog rest (so about four min), figuring about ten seconds slower for an accurate 5000 time. The best I ever averaged was 4:30 for all three and my best road 5k was in the low 14:30s, though I think I would’ve been faster on the track. My point is it held pretty true to form.

A couple results from a much slower guy:

Age 43: 3 x 1600 w/4-min recovery (5:27, 5:29, 5:27). 3 days later - 17:10 5K (5:31 avg)

Age 58: 3 x 1 mile w/5-min recovery (6:11, 6:11, 6:06). 2 weeks later - 19:35 5K (6:18 avg)

The repeats were faster than the realized 5K pace in both cases. The recoveries were fairly generous, and the more generous, the greater the difference between workout pace and actual race pace.

Read your post too quickly. Your formula is 3 x 1 mile PLUS 1 minute? That would predict 17:23 for my first example (vs 17:10 actual), and 18:28 for my second example (vs 19:35 actual). Of course, the slower the times, the more inaccurate I would think, given the "constant" of 1 minute in the formula.

An XC coach I've spoken to said that 3x1 miles with 90 second standing rest was the best indicator of 5K performance.

I took his advice and 10 days before the race I did them in 5:31, 5:37 and 5:44.

My race time ended up being 17:32 / 5:38 pace (cool fall day, several turns on the course, but lots of competition).

I think it is safe to say that you should be able to hold whatever pace you held in your proposed workout for a full 5k race.

But I would go to a more fundamental question: why do you need a predictor workout in the first place? Obviously, you have some sense of your fitness or you wouldn't be in a position to attempt a tough workout like this, much less have a sense of at what pace to run the repeats.

So what are you getting out of this? The confidence to know that it is doable on race day? What happens if you cannot hit the goal paces - I know I couldn't do that workout at my 5k pace, and I likely couldn't do it with 90 seconds rest either. 2:00? Probably. So if you try the workout, and it doesn't go well - and there is a fair chance that it might not- the confidence goal is actually undermined.

Train smart, using thoughtful and proven approaches to training, and let the confidence come from there.

Smoove wrote:

... So what are you getting out of this? The confidence to know that it is doable on race day? What happens if you cannot hit the goal paces - I know I couldn't do that workout at my 5k pace, and I likely couldn't do it with 90 seconds rest either. 2:00? Probably.

Ha! I finally understand OP's workout. 3 x 1 mile @ 5K race pace with 1-minute recoveries?! That's so far removed from what I could or would ever attempt, I just wasn't seeing it. Plus, I am apparently brain dead today.

Allen1959 wrote:

Age 43: 3 x 1600 w/4-min recovery (5:27, 5:29, 5:27). 3 days later - 17:10 5K (5:31 avg)

Scary to think what you could have done if you didn't do such a hard effort 3 days prior to a race. You probably would have broken 17.

Your training plans most intense workout should be 10 days out.