Kosmin test calculator
Estimate 800m or 1500m race readiness from repeated 60-second efforts, inspect rep fade, and keep the prediction anchored to real middle-distance coaching use.
Input Section
Estimate 800m or 1500m race readiness
Use the Kosmin test as a structured middle-distance check-in with rep-drop analysis, confidence context, and practical race-readiness interpretation.
Output
Result
Predicted race time, rep-consistency context, and practical middle-distance interpretation.
Next step
Refine your plan with a related calculator.
Method Guide
Kosmin Test Guide
What the Kosmin test is
The Kosmin test is a coach-driven middle-distance field test used to estimate current 800m or 1500m race readiness from repeated 60-second efforts.
It is practical and specific, but it is not a promise of race-day execution. That distinction matters, so this page treats the result as coaching context rather than guaranteed prediction.
800m protocol vs 1500m protocol
For the 800m version, run 60 seconds hard, rest 3 minutes, then run another 60 seconds hard and add both distances.
For the 1500m version, run four hard 60-second efforts with 3, 2, and 1 minute recoveries between them, then add all four distances.
Kosmin equations used on this page
Male 800m
time_sec = 217.77778 − (distance × 0.119556)
Distance is the combined total from two 60-second efforts, measured in meters.
Female 800m
time_sec = 1451.46 − (198.54 × ln(distance))
This page uses the natural logarithm form because it produces the physically plausible outputs repeated in coaching references.
Male 1500m
time_sec = 500.52609 − (distance × 0.162174)
Distance is the combined total from four 60-second efforts, measured in meters.
Female 1500m
time_sec = [male 1500m formula] + 10
This follows the coaching-reference adjustment repeated in common Kosmin summaries.
What the predicted time means
Treat the output as a race-readiness estimate. If the prediction aligns with recent race form and the reps were stable, confidence improves. If the reps faded badly, the number may overstate what you can sustain in a race.
How coaches use the Kosmin test
Coaches often use this test during pre-competition and race-season blocks to judge whether race pace is moving in the right direction without racing every week.
It works best alongside race evidence, split analysis, and workout context from tools like the Split Calculator and Race Predictor.
Rep drop-off and speed endurance
Rep-by-rep data matters because the fade pattern can tell you whether the test was repeatable or front-loaded. A small drop-off usually supports the estimate more than a sharp fade.
This is still a practical interpretation, not a diagnosis. The tool keeps the language cautious on purpose.
Limitations and trust boundaries
The evidence base around Kosmin is more coaching-oriented than peer-reviewed. That does not make it useless, but it does mean the page should be transparent about what the method is and is not.
If you want a broader endurance index instead of a middle-distance predictor, use the VDOT Calculator or VO2max Calculator.
Methodology
This tool sums the entered rep distances or accepts a total-distance fallback, applies the test-specific equation, formats the predicted race time, and adds rep fade plus confidence context when enough detail is available.
Coaching references used here include The Fit Map and the British Milers’ Club reference PDF.