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Running · VO2max

3 × 1600 AT 5K PACE

3 × 1600 m at 5K effort, 2–3 min jog

Time · 55 minDifficulty · Difficulty 4 of 5 — Very hardVery hard

WHAT IT TRAINS

Long VO2max reps — the hardest classic 5K session and the most race-like.

WHO IT'S FOR

Experienced 5K–10K runners close to a race.

HOW TO DO IT

  1. 01Warm up 15 minutes easy with strides.
  2. 023 × 1600 m at 5K effort.
  3. 03Jog 2–3 minutes between.
  4. 04Cool down 10 minutes.

SCALED VERSION

2 × 1600 m, or 3 × 1200 m.

Build the scaled version in Forge →

TARGETS THAT FIT YOU

Every rep carries an effort cue — 5K effort, threshold, easy — so it works at any fitness. Your watch shows the cue on each step. Want exact paces? Save your threshold pace or a recent race in Settings and tap Tailor to my paces.

THE WORKOUT, STEP BY STEP

RUNNING

3 × 1600 at 5K Pace

3 × 1600 m at 5K effort, 2–3 min jog · Fit File Forge Workout Library: www.fitfileforge.com/workouts/library/3x1600-at-5k-pace

WARMUP15 min

Easy with strides.

3×Repeat

INTERVAL1.6 km

5K effort.

RECOVERY2m 30s

Easy jog.

COOLDOWN10 min

Easy.

RELATED WORKOUTS

  • RunningRace-specificDifficulty 5 of 5 — Elite

    The Michigan

    1600 · tempo mile · 1200 · tempo mile · 800 · tempo mile · 400

    1 h 20Inspired by Ron Warhurst
    Save Send
  • RunningRace-specificDifficulty 4 of 5 — Very hard

    The Broken 5K

    2 km + 2 km + 1 km at 5K effort, ~2 min rest

    50 min
    Save Send

NOT HERE? DESCRIBE IT.

Type any session the way you'd tell a training partner — Forge turns it into a Garmin workout in seconds, and your coach can plan the weeks around it.

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