Help?

SamMarie14

So, I have a thing or two to ask you all.

I'm in a police academy. Almost done now.
The run time for girls my age for a mile and a half needs to be 14:07 or under, but the fastest I've done it in is 16:10. And it's really depressing because I was actually trying.. My first test is April 19th and if I don't pass it then, the next test is a week after. My question is, is it possible to drop that 2 minutes in those 21 days? And if so, what do I need to do to do it? The thing that I have trouble with is my breathing. Also, my calves tighten up on my last lap. Music helps, but that only got me to 16:10.. I just really need to pass this class.. I'm so stressed about it.. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Xoxo.

Barbonica

One way way to run faster is to run longer distances. Don't go for speed for 1.5 miles during your training, try to run 2-3miles. Even 4-5 miles. Are you running 3-4 times a week? If so, make at least 2 of them longer and slower. I knocked about 10 minutes off my 5K (3.1 miles) over a couple of months doing this after i read a couple of articles suggesting it. Seems weird, but it seems to work, and three weeks seems to be enough because you are not that far off. Good luck, and thanks for all the good work you will be doing with the police!

Oh yeah, don't forget to stretch first and maybe walk for 5-10 minutes before you run if you can. Get warmed up to help the calves. Breathing should come easier as you acclimate to running a longer distance.

SamMarie14

Thanks! I run about 3-4 times a week. I'm going to start 6-7 now though. And I just can't keep my breathing leveled. I get about three laps in and get winded and need to walk. But I'm gonna do like you said and run slower and longer a couple of the days. Thanks so much!

jemhh

I'm going to go the other way and suggest not focusing on more distance. Allan Thrall has a video on training for the military and he specifically goes over training for the timed runs. That part starts at about the 6 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/zy41a_RtzNo

JessM822

Running intervals are a good way to improve your running. It doesn't sound like you want to make this a lifestyle so personally I wouldn't focus on distance. A good example:

4x.5mi with 90 second rest in between
You run .5 miles as fast as you can. Take a 90 second break, then repeat 3 more times. Remember to stretch before and after. Do a 10 minute warm up before.
Not saying this works for everyone, but 1.5 miles is not to far, so doing high intensity for shorter distances would probably be more beneficial. I wouldn't run 6 to 7 days a week either unless you're an experienced runner. Your recovery days are when you get faster.

jessef593

jemhh wrote: »

I'm going to go the other way and suggest not focusing on more distance. Allan Thrall has a video on training for the military and he specifically goes over training for the timed runs. That part starts at about the 6 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/zy41a_RtzNo

I second jemhh. Alan thrall is an extremely knowledgable guy when it comes to endurance training. He's ex military, power lifter and now strong man. Focus on running faster if you need to run faster.

TavistockToad

SamMarie14 wrote: »

Thanks! I run about 3-4 times a week. I'm going to start 6-7 now though. And I just can't keep my breathing leveled. I get about three laps in and get winded and need to walk. But I'm gonna do like you said and run slower and longer a couple of the days. Thanks so much!

adding in 3 extra days running will probably just led to injury.

you need better training, not just more

TimothyFish

It may seem counter intuitive, but the key to running long distances faster is to start out slow. Try running at a pace that seems very slow for the first half. If you still feel like it is slow, then pick up the pace a little for the next quarter. Then use whatever you've got left for the last quarter. With practice over the next three weeks you can figure out whether you can increase your starting pace and still have enough in the tank to finish. The important thing is to pace yourself so that you aren't forced to walk, but run hard enough that you don't feel like you could have done more. If you can find that balance, whatever time you end up with will be the best that you can achieve.

SamMarie14

I passed with 39 seconds to spare! Thanks, guys!

jgnatca

You did it! Awesome! Thanks for coming back and letting us know.

SamMarie14

Np! I'm just tying to show the love to whoever showed it to me. I honestly cannot thank everyone who helped me out and gave me motivation enough! Much love! xoxo