How Does It Feel To Run A One Kilometre Time Trial? - YouTube - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of How Does It Feel To Run A One Kilometre Time Trial? from The Running Channel. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Mental prep matters: The hosts stress that a little nervous energy can actually sharpen focus, but too much anxiety leads to early lactate build‑up.
Pacing is critical: Aim for a consistent effort just above 3 min/km (≈ 330 s/km) – anything faster feels “flat‑out” and spikes lactate.
Warm‑up is non‑negotiable: Dynamic drills and a few short strides prepare the muscles for the high‑intensity burst.
Solo vs. group: A 1 km time trial is run alone, so you can’t rely on pacers – learn to trust your own effort cues.
Recovery after the effort: Light jog or easy run for 5–10 min to flush the lactate and protect the quads.

Workout Example

1 km Time‑Trial + Track Interval Session (all distances in kilometres)

Warm‑up – 10 min easy jog, then 5 × 20 m strides at increasing effort.
1 km TT – Run 1 km as fast as you can while keeping a steady pace around 2 min 40 s (≈ 160 s/km). Record the time.
Track interval set – 8 × 400 m repeats on a track
- Target the same average pace you held for the 1 km TT (≈ 2 min 40 s per 400 m).
- Recovery: 60‑90 seconds easy jog or walk between each 400 m.
Cool‑down – 10 min easy jog + gentle stretching.

Why this works: The 400 m repeats mimic the effort of a 1 km TT while adding short recoveries to teach your body to tolerate lactate spikes and hold a hard‑effort pace.

Closing Note

Try the 1 km time trial and the 400 m interval session this week – then customize the paces in your Pacing app to match your current fitness. You’ll get a clear feel for how fast you can hold a hard effort and how your nerves affect performance. Remember, the full video on The Running Channel has even more context and tips, so give it a watch and keep pushing your limits! 🚀