Decoding the 1500m
How the world's best athletes pace the 1500m.
How the race unfolds
Most of the field stays together through about 1100m; separation usually builds on the last lap and home straight. A fast finish is normal, but it does not mean every lap gets faster on the clock. The final split here is only 300m, so plotting raw metres per second makes almost everyone look like they slow at the end. The velocity chart uses speed relative to the average of the first three 400m segments (100% = that early rhythm). Values above 100% on the last point mean the finish was faster than that cruise — what tactical kick wins often show.
Time trials vs championships
World-record and paced races tend to be honest early and very hard late. Major finals are often slower for two or three laps, then violent from 800m out — good for medals, hard on the time. Model the kind of race you are actually targeting.
Mile conversion: 1500m is ~93.2% of the mile. Multiply mile time by 0.9259 for a rough equivalent (e.g. 4:00.0 mile → about 3:42.5).