Running fitness, how do you know where you stand? How could you get a better idea of a target for an upcoming race? Here are some great running sessions to test your running fitness. Building these type of sessions into a regular routine will also help you monitor your fitness, pushing your mind and body. 🏃♂️
1. The Moneghetti Fartlek
If you’re looking to add something different into your running, look at the Moneghetti Fartlek. Named after the Australian distance runner Steve Moneghetti,
The Moneghetti Fartlek is a great way to inject speed into your run without breaking yourself. I really like this as can be adapted to suit any ability level. This is suitable for all abilities and on any surface. Following the below timings you’ll start on 90s efforts, then finish on 15s efforts.
- First Block: 2 x 90 seconds effort / 90 seconds recovery between each interval
- Second Block: 4 x 60 seconds effort / 60 seconds recovery between each interval
- Third Block: 4 x 30 seconds effort / 30 seconds recovery between each interval
- Forth Block: 4 x 15 seconds effort / 15 seconds recovery between each interval
2. Yasso 800s
Invented by Bart Yasso, take your goal marathon time and then try to run that time over 800m. You should use minutes and seconds rather than hours and minutes.
If your aim is a four-hour marathon, your Yasso goal time is four minutes. Earlier in your training cycle, start with six reps at your goal time, with a recovery time equal to the rep. Repeat the workout regularly and add reps, up to a maximum of 10, a few weeks out from your race.
3. The Magic Mile
Devised by coach Jeff Galloway, it’s a simple way to estimate race times.
Run a mile as fast as you can, pacing yourself as evenly as possible. You should finish feeling you couldn’t now run more than 100m at the same pace. Add 33 secs to your mile time for your pace for a 5K; multiply it by 1.15 for your 10K pace; by 1.2 for half-marathon pace; and by 1.3 for marathon pace.
4. 5K Baseline
Never run a 5k? Here’s one way to know your pace.
Run two miles at an easy pace and speed up in the final mile to a speed at which you can only say a few words at a time. A few days later, run three one-mile repeats at the pace you ran your third mile, jogging 800m between each. If your third repeat is at least as fast as the first, your baseline pace is ideal.
5. 5K Running Fitness Predictor
Another 5k predictor. What pace can you sustain over the fast and furious 5k distance?
Two or three weeks before your race, run 5 x 1km at your 5K goal race pace, with a 400m recovery jog between each interval. Take the average of your five 1km times and multiply it by five to get your predicted time.
5. 10K Running Fitness Predictor
A extension of the magic mile. This session will help focus you on the 10k distance.
Do this workout two or three weeks before your race. Run 5 x 1 mile at your 10K goal race pace, taking a 400m or two-minute slow recovery jog between each repeat. Find your average pace was across the five-mile repeats and then multiply the result by 6.2 to get an idea of your 10K time.
7. Half Marathon Predictor
Wanting to predict or beat your half marathon time? Using a 10k effort is a great way to test your endurance whilst not stretching yourself too much.
Three to five weeks before race, run 10K at 80 per cent effort. Take this 10K time in minutes (e.g., a 55:30 is 55.5) and add 0.93. Multiply the result by 2.11. Using this formula, a 50-minute 10K at 80 per cent effort predicts around a 1:47 half marathon at race effort.
8. Marathon Predictor
Long runs are the foundation of marathon training. Aim to build in your marathon pace to learn what it feels like on tired legs.
Run at your marathon pace for 10-14 miles of a 20-mile long run. Take the average mile time from your ‘race paced’ miles and multiply it by 26.2. Do this session five weeks before your race for intermediate runners; and a second time two weeks later for advanced runners.
Running Fitness Summary and Tips
Hopefully, the above has given you ideas and food for thought on how to test your running fitness. Here are my tips to help:
- Find a flat, traffic-free surface. Depending on the distance you may also want to find a loop to save you from stopping or slowing down mid interval.
- Take the time to warm-up and cool down. I work off 15 minutes of easy running at both sides of my sessions, followed by stretching afterwards.
- Take advantage of technology so you’re watch can tell you when to speed up or slow down. My Garmin guides to custom workouts and simple intervals are here and here.
- Take a read of all my other articles on interval training here.
- Get a coach. Coaches will help focus your sessions on your specific running goals and take you out of your comfort zone. Without this accountabilty you may just default to doing an easy run 😉. I recommend JM Online Running Coach. 😎
