This 5‑Mile Test Will Reveal Your Real Fitness Level - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “This 5‑Mile Test Will Reveal Your Real Fitness Level” from Lee Grantham. 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

Regular testing removes guess‑work, keeps you disciplined, and lets you compare you against you over time.
The test is a 5‑mile (8 km) uphill effort run at a controlled heart‑rate (around your marathon HR, ~170 bpm) – it’s more about effort than pace.
Two repeatable interval formats also work: 10 × 1 km or 20 × 400 m with a strict 60‑second recovery between each rep. Keep the distance, reps, and rest identical each session for true “apples‑to‑apples” comparison.
Track average pace, per‑rep effort, and heart‑rate recovery to spot fitness changes and training gaps.
Hill reps build glute/hamstring power, improve biomechanics, and translate to faster flat‑road running.

Workout Example

5‑Mile (8 km) Uphill Test

Choose a hill you know (average 5‑6 % grade, gradient can vary).
Warm‑up 10‑15 min easy running.
Run the 5 mi/8 km at a steady effort – aim to keep your average heart‑rate within ±2 bpm of your marathon HR (e.g., 170 bpm).
Record total time, average pace, and HR recovery after the run.

Alternative Interval Test – 10 × 1 km

Run 1 km hard (near‑max effort) → 60 s rest → repeat 10 times. Keep the 60‑second recovery exact each set.

Alternative Interval Test – 20 × 400 m

Run 400 m hard → 60 s rest → repeat 20 times. Progress the number of reps gradually (10 → 12 → 15 → 18 → 20).

All of these can be logged in the Pacing app and customized to your own paces or heart‑rate zones.

Closing Note

Give the 5‑mile uphill test a go this week, track your effort, and use the data to fine‑tune your training. You can easily adjust the distances or rest intervals in the Pacing app to match your current fitness level. Keep testing every 3‑5 weeks and watch your performance climb! 🚀