WORKOUT ANALYSIS
How to review an interval workout beyond average pace
A session average mixes several different jobs. Separate the repetitions from the easy running before deciding what happened.
An average includes everything you put into it
A workout can include a warm-up, faster repetitions, recoveries and a cooldown. Dividing the total time by the total distance produces one valid average. That average still cannot tell you the pace of each repetition.
The example below illustrates the arithmetic. It is not a prescribed workout or a recommendation for a particular runner.
Six repetitions inside a 36-minute run
| Part | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 1.5 km | 10:00 |
| 6 × 400 m repetitions | 2.4 km total | 6 × 1:40 = 10:00 |
| 6 recovery portions | 0.6 km total | 6 × 1:00 = 6:00 |
| Cooldown | 1.5 km | 10:00 |
| Complete session | 6.0 km | 36:00 |
The complete session averages 6:00 min/km. Each 400-meter repetition takes 1:40, equivalent to 4:10 min/km. The different numbers describe different parts of the same session.
Compare repetitions before comparing session averages
Look at each work portion's distance, time and shape in the pace chart. Were the repetitions similar, or did their pace change across the session? Keep recovery portions separate and check whether stops or missing samples interrupt the recording.
A different warm-up length can change the whole-session average even when every repetition is identical. Likewise, a longer recovery can change the average without changing the work-portion pace. Use the same comparison basis across sessions.
Use the stream evidence that is actually available
In Runome, inspect the run-detail charts and recorded splits alongside the activity summary. A recording with suitable streams can answer more detailed questions than a manually entered total. Do not treat missing repetition data as a measured result.
Try the pace calculator with 0.4 kilometers and 1:40 to check the repetition pace. For stops and time handling, read moving time versus elapsed time. Use the metric reference when interpreting the other signals in a run.