Thank you guys!

 

I have a really n00b question..... if I am not running on a track, how do I measure things like 1000m or 3000m? I have no concept of how far that is, as I am a terrible judge of distance, especially in the metric system. Is there a comparable workout to the ones you guys have mentioned in mile increments that I can use my Garmin for (such as 3 x .4 miles or something)? Or a time equivalent (10K pace for 4 minutes)?

 

As for judging my improvement curve, it is so hard to do that now..... in my first 6 months of racing I ran four 5Ks, PRing each by 1-4 minutes, for a total of almost 9 minutes off my first 5K time with no speedwork, just easy miles in training. Obviously that kind of improvement can't continue, or else I'd be an Olympian in no time. It was reasonable last year to expect to shave 3 minutes off my 5K time in a month (because I did it, more than once) but I don't see those kind of improvements to happen again, even with race specific workouts....but I do want to get faster!

1000m = 0.62 miles

2000m = 1.24 miles

3000m = 1.86 miles

Does your Garmin allow you to set up screens with "current lap" and "lap distance"? If you don't have this ability you could g-map it or go to a track and find out how long it takes you to cover those distances at 5k, 10k or tempo pace and then just use that as a ballpark est. on the roads.