Is your current training program working in helping you get faster for your next race? Racing a Mile is a great way to find out if you are on the right path...
With my Ready 2 Run athletes I find a Mile time trial to be the best test for race readiness. The Mile is short enough to allow for fast post-race recovery. Still, it is also long enough to be not only a test of speed, but also of cardiovascular endurance.
I would start most programs for Ready to Run athletes with a time trial mile and get the following information as a base to then track progress on a monthly basis:
-Time for each lap around the track (400m)
-Heart rate during or right after the Mile (usually a good approximation for HR max)
-Heart rate every minute for the following 10 minutes
-Total time
Then, by doing the test again on a monthly basis the data helps me track progress in terms of pacing, cardiovascular endurance, heart rate recovery after exercise and, of course, speed and running efficiency.
If you have a specific goal time for your next distance race, the results from a Mile race can be used to see how close you are to being ready to achieve your goal. Mathematic formulas were created to be able to calculate a predicted race times based on your Mile time. Doing the calculations yourself are a bit of a hassle, so good thing there are some race time predictor tools that can do it for you.
Here are my favourite online race time predictor:
Runner's World Race Time Predictor
Running for Fitness' Race Time Predictor
Of course, the race time predictions are most accurate when you have done race-specific training for that longer distance for a few months already.
Are you ready to test your running fitness in real racing conditions? Your chance to do it for free is now!
On June 7th, 2014 West Vancouver will host its annual Ambleside Mile Race and I have a free race entry for one lucky Ready 2 Run Blog reader!
I would start most programs for Ready to Run athletes with a time trial mile and get the following information as a base to then track progress on a monthly basis:
-Time for each lap around the track (400m)
-Heart rate during or right after the Mile (usually a good approximation for HR max)
-Heart rate every minute for the following 10 minutes
-Total time
Then, by doing the test again on a monthly basis the data helps me track progress in terms of pacing, cardiovascular endurance, heart rate recovery after exercise and, of course, speed and running efficiency.
If you have a specific goal time for your next distance race, the results from a Mile race can be used to see how close you are to being ready to achieve your goal. Mathematic formulas were created to be able to calculate a predicted race times based on your Mile time. Doing the calculations yourself are a bit of a hassle, so good thing there are some race time predictor tools that can do it for you.
Here are my favourite online race time predictor:
Runner's World Race Time Predictor
Running for Fitness' Race Time Predictor
Of course, the race time predictions are most accurate when you have done race-specific training for that longer distance for a few months already.
Are you ready to test your running fitness in real racing conditions? Your chance to do it for free is now!