Workout of the Week: Mile Simulation 600s

The mile, or its metric equivalent, the 1500m, like many races, tends to unfold in one of three ways: Sometimes it’s fast from the gun; other times it goes out kind of slow and finishes at breakneck speed. More often than not, though, it starts pretty quick, settles into a steady rhythm for a good chunk of the race, and finishes in a final flurry.

This workout is designed to mimic the latter scenario, breaking 600m reps into three distinct pieces so that you can practice the specific physical and mental demands of such a situation. With generous recovery and a focus on controlled execution, this session is ideal for sharpening race-readiness in the final weeks before competition—but only after a solid foundation of fitness is already in place. Here are the details:

WHAT: 3-4 x 600m with the first 100m of each rep a little faster than goal 1-mile/1500m race pace, the middle 400m at or slightly slower than goal 1-mile/1500m race pace, and the last 100m “kicking” to a faster finish. Recovery is 5 minutes of walking/jogging between reps.

WARMUP/COOLDOWN: Warm up before the workout with 15-20 minutes of easy running followed by a set of drills and 4-6 x 20-second strides (i.e., accelerate for 5 seconds, spend the next 10 seconds at near-top speed, and then gradually decelerate to a jog over the final 5 seconds. Catch your breath for 40-60 seconds and then repeat 3-5 more times). Cool down after the workout with 5-15 minutes of easy running.

WHY: To simulate the pace changes that typically occur during 1-mile/1500m races, i.e. getting out quick, settling into a rhythm, and finishing fast.

WHERE: On the track, preferably, but a road or treadmill are fine substitutes if you don’t have access to an oval.

WHEN: It’s best to utilize this workout after a foundation of solid fitness has already been established. Performing it 2-3 times in the final 4-6 weeks before your goal race is ideal.