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DETERMINING YOUR "BEST DISTANCE"

The following table is from "The Self-Coached Runner II" by Allan Lawrence and Mark Scheid. My copy is from 1987. This was the first book that I was able to find that went into track racing and training. If you ever have a chance to get a copy, I strongly recommend that you get it.

This table is for the runner who is competing in more that one event, such as the 100 & 200, or the 400, 800 & 1500. In table, find your time for the different distances and see where they fall relative to each other. The higher the time falls in the table, the better the relative time. This will provide a good indicator as to what is your "Best Distance".

 


CALCULATING YOUR RACE TIME GOALS

The following information was presented at the 1994 National Track & Field, Cross Country Coaches Clinic by Dr. Joe Vigil.

These charts provide a multiplying factor (your time  multiplied by y) to be used to calculate race time goals for the 1500, 5K and 10K specialists. If your primary race distance is one of these distances, plug in your time in seconds and then multiply it the factor. This will give you a "goal" when you race the other distances.

The following chart was prepared by Floyd Highfill. It is designed for the older runner. I have not had the time to compare these numbers with the two charts above. Obviously, he has spent a lot of time and effort developing this chart.

MASTERS RACE DISTANCE/TIME EQUIVALENCY CHART

(Prepared by Floyd Highfill)

This chart shows equivalent times for MASTERS RUNNERS for races of different lengths. For example, a runner who can run a 52.00 400m, could expect to run an 800m in about 1:59.6. A runner who can run 3000m in 10:17 could expect to run 5000m in about 17:56 and 1500m in about 4:48.0. It should be noted that times will correspond more accurately with distances in columns adjacent to the runners "base" distance, and will be less accurate as the difference in race distance increases (columns further away). The chart can also be used to plan workout strategies. For instance, if a runner can run several races (say 200/400 or 800/1500/3000) at about what the chart indicates, then they are probably going to have to improve their time at the SHORTER distance in order to make much improvement at the longer distance. On the other hand, If a runner is significantly slower at the longer distance than what the chart indicates, they will probably need to do more base/strength work as opposed to "speed" work, in order to improve their times. While there is only a rough correlation between 200/400 speed and performances at longer distances (3000/5000/10000), there is SOME correclation, and middle distance and distance runners who have "plateaued" may beneifit from increased work on speed development.

200m

400m

800m

1500m

2000SC

3000m

3000SC

5000m

10000m

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

min:sec

20.75

46.4

1:46.7

3:41

5:31

7:54

8:29

13:47

29:30

21.00

47.0

1:48.0

3:44

5:35

8:00

8:35

13:57

29:51

21.25

47.6

1:49.3

3:47

5:38

8:05

8:41

14:07

30:12

21.50

48.1

1:50.6

3:49

5:42

8:11

8:47

14:17

30:34

21.75

48.7

1:51.9

3:52

5:46

8:17

8:53

14:27

30:55

22.00

49.2

1:53.1

3:55

5:49

8:22

8:59

14:37

31:16

22.25

49.8

1:54.4

3:57

5:53

8:28

9:05

14:47

31:37

22.50

50.4

1:55.7

4:00

5:57

8:34

9:11

14:57

31:59

22.75

50.9

1:57.0

4:03

6:00

8:40

9:17

15:07

32:20

23.00

51.5

1:58.3

4:05

6:04

8:45

9:24

15:17

32:41

23.25

52.0

1:59.6

4:08

6:07

8:51

9:30

15:27

33:03

23.50

52.6

2:00.9

4:11

6:11

8:57

9:36

15:36

33:24

23.75

53.2

2:02.1

4:13

6:15

9:02

9:42

15:46

33:45

24.00

53.7

2:03.4

4;16

6:18

9:08

9:48

15:56

34:07

24.25

54.3

2;04.7

4;19

6:22

9:14

9:54

16:06

34:28

24.50

54.8

2:06.0

4:21

6:26

9:20

10:00

16:16

34:49

24.75

55.4

2:07.3

4:24

6:29

9:25

10:06

16:26

35:11

25.00

56.0

2:08.6

4:27

6:33

9:31

10:13

16:36

35:32

25.50

57.1

2:11.1

4:32

6:40

9:42

10:25

16:56

36:15

26.00

58.2

2:13.7

4:37

6:47

9:54

10:37

17:16

36:57

26.50

59.3

2:16.3

4:43

6:55

10:05

10:49

17:36

37:40

27.00

1:00.4

2:18.9

4:48

7:02

10:17

11:02

17:56

38:23

27.50

1:01.5

2:21.4

4:53

7:09

10:28

11:14

18:16

39:05

28.00

1:02.7

2:24.0

4:59

7:17

10:39

11:26

18:36

39:48

28.50

1:03.8

2:26.6

5:04

7:24

10:51

11:38

18:56

40:31

29.00

1:04.9

2:29.1

5;09

7:31

11:02

11:51

19:16

41:13

29.50

1:06.0

2:31.7

5:15

7:38

11:14

12:03

19:36

41:56

30.00

1:07.1

2:34.3

5:20

7:46

11:25

12:15

19;56

42:38

30.50

1:08.3

2:36.9

5:25

7:53

11:37

12:27

20:15

43:21

31.00

1:09.4

2:39.4

5:31

8:00

11:48

12:40

20:35

44:04

31.50

1:10.5

2:42.0

5:36

8:08

11:59

12:52

20:55

44:46

32.00

1:11.6

2:44.6

5:41

8:15

12:11

13:04

21:15

45:29

32.50

1:12.7

2:47.1

5:47

8:22

12:22

13:16

21:35

46:12

33.00

1:13.9

2:49.7

5:52

8:29

12:34

13:29

21:55

46:54

33.50

1:15.0

2:52.3

5:57

8:37

12:45

13:41

22:15

47:37

34.00

1:16.1

2:54.9

6;03

8:44

12:56

13:53

22:35

48:20

34.50

1:17.2

2:57.4

6:08

8:51

13:08

14:05

22:55

48:42

35.00

1:18.4

3:00.0

6:14

8:59

13:19

14:18

23:15

49:25

36.00

1:20.6

3:05.1

6:24

9:13

13:42

14:42

23:55

51:10

37.00

1:22.8

3:10.3

6:35

9:28

14:05

15:07

24:34

52:35

38.00

1:25.0

3:15.4

6:46

9:42

14:28

15:31

25:14

54:01

39.00

1:27.3

3:20.6

6:56

9:57

14:51

15:56

25:54

55:26

40.00

1:29.5

3:25.7

7:07

10:11

15:13

16:20

26:34

56:51

 

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