An analysis of the validity of the three-mile run as a field test of aerobic capacity in college males.

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the concurrent and construct validity of the three-mile (4.83 km) run as a field test of aerobic capacity. Subjects included 109 college-aged males whose three-mile run time (M = 1310.31 +/- 184.48 s) was measured. Fifty of the subjects were given a maximal treadmill stress test, and their peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) (M = 54.23 +/- 7.08 ml.kg-1.min-1) was measured. The three-mile run was conducted on an outdoor 0.25 mile (0.425 km) track, and split times were recorded each 110 yds (100.32 m) for the first and last laps and total time was recorded for laps 2 through 11. The correlation coefficient between the run time and VO2peak was -.58, indicating only moderate concurrent validity for the run as a field test for aerobic capacity. A factor analysis conducted on the split time data revealed a three-factor structure of a stable pace phase, an initial sprint, and a final sprint with the stable pace factor accounting for most of the common factor variance (69%). The three-mile run time was used to discriminate successfully between two known groups of subjects in aerobic capacity. These data provide a degree of support for the construct validity of the three-mile run as a field test of aerobic capacity.