Test-set workouts to get you race-ready

Canadian Running senior editor Kevin Mackinnon uses training workouts called test sets to help the runners he coaches prepare for races. The idea behind a test set is to come up with a workout that you can reproduce a few times during your buildup to an event that will give you some accurate feedback on your current level of fitness, and help you determine if you’re on the right track to meet your race goals.

Mackinnon suggests incorporating one of these test workouts into your program once a month or every six weeks. They don’t have to be done on a track – you just need to be able to measure where you’re at. If you’re looking for the ultimate in consistency, do your test sets on a treadmill so you don’t need to worry about weather conditions affecting the workout.

Here’s what test sets can do for you:

• They gauge your current level of fitness.
• They give you a good idea of what you’re capable of running in an upcoming race.
• They can help you get comfortable with your goal pace.
• They keep you honest, regardless of what your goal might be.

Coach Kevin Mackinnon’s Test Sets

Incorporate these test sets into your training for some upcoming races.

5K

6–10 x 400m with 60-90 seconds recovery. Early on in your training, these should be at slower than your goal race pace, but as soon as your fitness allows, you should aim to run these at your goal pace. If you can, try to decrease your recovery time between intervals.

3–5 x 1K with 90 seconds recovery

2–3 x 1 mile with 2 minutes recovery (work this down to 1 minute as the season progresses)

10K / Half-Marathon

8–16 x 400m with 60–90 seconds recovery

4–7 x 1K with 90 seconds recovery

3–5 x 1 mile with 2–3 minutes recovery

Marathon

8–10 x 1K with 90 seconds recovery

20–30K steady-paced run at goal race pace