Benchmark Workouts
Often when we’re training for endurance sports, the question of “Am I making progress?” will come up. Preparing for longer races, it can be hard to gauge if we’re making progress or not. One simple way to do this is by having workouts that you can repeat that serve as benchmarks for your progress. When I was training more fulltime, I had several workouts throughout the year that served as benchmarks including a track time trial and an uphill time trial.
Here are three simple workout structures you can use to benchmark your own fitness and progress:
1. Time Trials. A time trial is a set distance (or time) on repeatable terrain. Think of the track or the same uphill trail. It can be measured out to be a set distance, in which case the aim is to get faster. Or it can be designed for time, with the goal is to cover more distance within that timeframe. These should be relevant to the goal race or at least the systemic demands of the goal race. This is typically a maximal effort for whatever the time/distance may be.
2. Intervals for Distance/Time. Using the same hill or a set distance on the track, you can track progress over that length. The objective is to get faster for the distance. These will typically be shorter distance than a time trial but still give you a sense of being able to maintain speed throughout the session. Typically, you want to structure the workout so that each interval rep can be started at the same point. That way, you can actually measure progress over the workout and training block. Similarly, you can use time as the constraint rather than distance. Again, these should be done on the same trail or terrain each time you want to benchmark the workout. Once again, the goal is to cover more distance in the same amount of time (that means you’re getting faster!).
3. Submaximal Workouts. If you have your heart rate zones dialed in (doing a test is the best option for this, don’t blindly trust your watch!) you can also do base aerobic runs on the same terrain while keeping the HR in a range. This is a great test for longer and ultra- races as a way of ensuring you’re developing better economy as well as aerobic fitness. These types of workouts can be harder to execute but are valuable for dialing in your effort and checking in with fitness levels. These are typically done in sub-threshold zones.
On the whole, it’s important and engaging to have variety in our training. That said, it’s great to have workouts that you can revisit as a way of checking in with your progress. These can be done every 6-8 weeks for the most part. If you’re dramatically changing up training, you might do them more often to see if the shift in training is having a net positive impact. Benchmark workouts are a great way for endurance athletes to make sure training is on track and doing what we want it to.
