Training & Nutrition - What's your 3 mile time?

I just bought that Armstrong/Carmichael road training guide and they have you race a flat 3 mile stretch to discover your fitness level.

Has anyone else done this? If so, what's your time?

I'm a woman, age 35, 130lbs and did it first time at 10:20. It was better than I expected considering I had to use my FS mountain bike on a snow patched bike trail, but I'd also like to hear other's times.

Let me know!

18:55! On my feet though...never timed it on a bike:D

Kidding aside, that's pretty impressive isn't it? You must run a lot.

Anyway, looks like I either put this in the wrong topic area, nobody wants to divulge times or nobody has actually tried the excercise yet.

Oh, well.

when the weather gets better, ill time if for you.

My time was 10.39 which I was kind of surprised by and a little disappointed. I am a not so svelt 32 year old woman, so it was sort of interesting to see that I am from Intermediate to advanced by Carmichael's standard and that by Bicylcing Magazine I am "extremely fit". But on the other hand it felt very slow to me. I did it on New Year's Day, figured no time like the beginning of the new year to really track my progress.

Presfoxm,

Your time is very close to mine. How long have you been riding/training? It's kind of disconcerting to know that I'm the same fitness level of a beginning male. Something about it just seems disappointing though I understand why.

The way I see it we could probably hit the low 9s by the end of spring and maybe 8 by the end of summer! Well, I can dream can't I?

Good luck and keep me posted.

In my prime last year I did the 3 mile time in just under 9 mins.

That would be balls to the wall in puke mode :o

Bill F.

P.S. Phatman that time is pretty impressive. I would love to run the 5K in very low 20 min times this year.

Originally posted by bfong
P.S. Phatman that time is pretty impressive. I would love to run the 5K in very low 20 min times this year.

Thanks, but that is because I run much more then I bike. I'm on the high School XC team at my school and needless to say, I run a lot. There's no cycling team though, so I have to train on my own and on the weekends when there is no practice. It kinda has a bad effect on my cycling.


I'd like to try testing my 3 mile on my bike, but there really aren't too many 3 mile stretchs that are flat. It seems that all of them have a gradual uphill, or a gradual downhill (depending on direction) And none of them are near to my house. I'd be exausted before I got there!:D

I haven't done the actual 3-mile ride, but my last ride was 18.51 miles in 63 minutes - so roughly 3 miles per 10 minutes average...(I would guess). Maybe I could do a little better if I would just ride the 3 miles...

~Michael~

Best 3 mile done for the same reason in the Armstrong book was 7:24 on a flat road. I have not timed a run this year yet cause I have been lazy and not riding . Plan to get back on the bike this week if the rain will hold off.

I will do the 3 mile time soon for comparison later in the year.


My personal favorite time trial is at Stone mountain park. A hilly loop around the mountain. It is just a shade under 5 miles going clockwise at 4.85 miles and my lifetime best was 11:40. But that time was done in 1996.

Last year I putzed around it at just 12:34 at my best so I hated life. This year I plan to do it in 12 flat or better or I'll sell my bike and take up shuffleboard.

Spexy,

I have been riding seriously for over almost a 1 1/2 yrs. I loosely did timed myself last spring and have a vague recollection of over 11 mins. So progress is being made. 8 by summer! oh my that would be miraculous. I am going to test myself again in mid-February. I figured 6 weeks was a long enough time to see if there is any progress.

Yes I am the same as a beginning male (Carmichael) or a relatively fit male (Bicycling Magazine) but I have realized that I can not compare myself to men (though I fight the impulse and it just depresses me).

I will let you know my Feb time. Please let me know your improvements too.