Fitness Testing
Fitness Testing > Tests > Aerobic Endurance > 5 km Run
5 kilometer Run Test
This is a test of aerobic fitness, an important component of endurance based and team sports. The 5 km endurance run is part of the eTID Talent Identification Testing Program for triathlon, and their protocol is listed here.
-
purpose: This test measures aerobic fitness and leg muscles endurance.
-
equipment required: 5 km flat running course (12 ½ laps of a synthetic 400m track is preferred), stopwatch.
-
description / procedure: The aim of this test is to complete a 5 kilometer course in the shortest possible time. At the start, all participants are to line up behind the starting line. On the command ‘ready, start’ the clock will start, and the athletes begin running at their own pace, completing the 5km route as fast as possible without stopping.
-
scoring: The total time to complete the course is recorded for each participant, in minutes and seconds.
-
advantages: large groups of athletes can be tested at once, and it is a very cheap and simple test to perform. If the test is conducted on a 400m running track, all the athletes will be in view throughout the test
-
disadvantages: practice and pacing is required, and performance on this test can be affected greatly by motivation. If running around a 400 m oval, you will be able to provide continual feedback on the time to help with pacing.
-
comments:
- To achieve the best result for this test, adequate practice and good pacing is required, and performance on this test can be affected greatly by motivation.
- If a 400m track is not used, it is preferable to have a 2.5km out and back course to account for changes in wind.
Related Pages
- about the eTID Talent Identification Testing Program.
- eTID Fitness Testing for Triathlon
- General Walk / Run test
- See the comparison page for a overview of the walk and run tests.
- other aerobic tests, and all fitness test list


