# 1 Mile Race Test

When I looked at Timehop today, it’s pretty crazy it has been exactly a year since I did the 2k rowing test after following 12 weeks of Rowing WOD and now I’m testing my mile in the 14th week of Aerobic Capacity. I swear I didn’t plan this.

### Aerobic Capacity – 1 Mile Race

• 400m Jog
• 2:00 Rest
• 200m Run (target: 0:41)
• 2:00 Rest
• 200m Run (target: 0:41)
• 4:00 Rest
• 400m Run (target: 1:21)
• 6:00 Rest
• 1 Mile Run

Once again I don’t understand why the target paces for the warm-ups were so fast. That’s the 5:20-5:30 / mile pace range when they are supposed to give me a feel for the pace of my mile. No fucking way I can hold anything close to that. Maybe they used a typical 400m to mile ratio of 22% based off my recent 1:02 for the 400, but my ration before starting the program was 34%, so not anywhere close to “normal.” Would seem odd to calculate it that way and not take into account my most recent mile PR.

I’ve had a goal to run a 6 minute mile for a few years (haven’t worked on it until this year) and even though I thought it was still too far out of range, I figured I’d go for it. So I used a target pace of 0:45 for the 200s and 1:30 for the 400m. The warm-up 200s felt good at 40 and 45 seconds. Then when I ran 1:33 for the 400m I was getting worried at how gassed it felt.

Maps have been broken on the Garmin site for over a week, so I can’t really look at my laps how I’d like to. I have to rely on memory from looking at my watch during the run. Hopefully they get the site fixed soon!

From what I remember… The initial 100 was 21 seconds and 200 in 44. Then things slowed a bit to finished the first lap in 1:33. I think I finished the second lap at about 3:20, which would be a 1:47 lap and the third lap at 5:05 for a 1:45 lap. I didn’t push it hard enough over those 2 laps. 😦 Was able to kick it in over the last 150 meters to finish at 6:42 for a 1:37 final lap. I’ll be interested to see how accurate my memory is. Have to admit I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not pushing harder. Wanted a lot more than a 9 second improvement.

### Fatigue Factor

When I started, my 400 time was a 1:04 and my mile was a 6:51. Those improved to 1:02 and 6:42. Hinshaw always talks about the “Fatigue Factor” and how 20-21% is the average he’s seen over all of the Beyond the Whiteboard data. Mine was calculated at 34.1% when I started and is 34.8% now. Terrible!! I need a lot more work on volume.

I was finally able to find the formula in a comment from Hinshaw

The fatigue factor uses the following formula devised by Pete Riegel:

T2 = T1 x (D2 / D1)C
where:
D1 = distance you already raced
T1 = time for the known distance
D2 = distance you want to predict the time
T2 = predicted time for the new distance
C = performance degradation coefficient

After still not being able to come up with correct fatigue factors, I looked up the Riegel formula and Hinshaw missed that it’s the the power of C! Solving for C and knowing the 2 distances, which is the fatigue factor in our case…

Fatigue Factor = $\ln(T2/T1)/\ln(4)-1$

Yes, you have to use logarithms (I’m using natural logs) to solve this. T1 is your 400m time in seconds and T2 is your mile time is seconds.

If you don’t feel like messing with calculators, I whipped up some javascript and a quick form you can use. Go to http://jsfiddle.net/nickmomrik/8an6nzdd/3/ and change the default numbers in the form (leave the code alone) to see what your fatigue factor is.

### Final Thoughts

This was the 27th workout of the Aerobic Capacity program and with the changing weather, will be my last for the year. I’ve been waiting for the mile test to come up for a few weeks and it came at the perfect time with the forecast not showing anything in the 60s this week. Since starting on August 5th, it took me about 11.5 weeks to get through this first workout of the 14th week.

I enjoyed the program a lot and would recommend it. At \$30/month it won’t break the bank. Overall the workouts were challenging but there were only 2 times where I couldn’t hit/beat the assigned paces. Maybe because my ratio is so bad I should have been going even faster. I may start again in the spring so I can follow it for longer next year. Time for more CrossFit classes.

After watching the Lions make another comeback win, I felt like I should do more today, so I headed out to the garage to get in week 4 day 3 of lifting.

### Power Clean

• 5×45#
• 3×95
• 3×135
• 2×165
• EMOM
• 1×185
• 1×195
• 1×205
• 5x1x215

I decided to go with powers again to save my legs.

### Clean Pull

• 3×215#
• 3x3x245

Used straps for the three working sets.

### Pause Back Squat

2 seconds in the hole.

• 2×135#
• 2×185
• 2×225
• 3x2x245

No belt and no sleeves today. Felt really good actually.

### Midline

• 3/3 Turkish Get-ups (40#)
• 3/3 Turkish Get-ups (45#)
• 3x  3/3 Turkish Get-ups (50#)

I’m going to have to try left arm first next time to see if it still floats around as much.

4 Sets

• 20 Twisting K2E

Much easier without grips on.

## Published by

### Nick Momrik

I'm searching for the perfect golf swing and my first hole-in-one. I'm addicted to CrossFit. I work for Automattic.

## 2 thoughts on “1 Mile Race Test”

1. Hello, how sure are you of your calculator? I’m 45, overwheight, suck at running yet I get a result of
11.9%
Unless I also suck at converting time in seconds,
How could this be possible?
400m: 1’47 ; 1mile: 8’25

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1. Yep, the calculator is on. What this means for you is that your speed needs work since you are relatively close to your 400m pace for a mile. If you could hold a 1:47 pace it would be a 7:08 mile, so you are just 1:17 off that pace overall.

Compare to my 1:02 400m pace where the mile would have to be 4:08. My mile time was 6:42, so I’m 2:34 off that pace!!

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