Any tips or exercises on how to get my run time down?

2018-03-20T13:53:15-04:00

I was never a runner but slowly I'm starting to get enjoy it. I pass my PT but I'm nowhere near the 15:30 I need to max. What are some tips and exercises that have helped you or your soldiers shave time off of their run? I also want to start training a half marathon and complete one in Dec.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Mar 20 at 2018 1:59 PM

2018-03-20T13:59:19-04:00

1LT Private RallyPoint Member: I started the PT track in last place. At the end: I came in FIRST PLACE!

Response by SPC David Willis made Mar 20 at 2018 2:00 PM

2018-03-20T14:00:49-04:00

Lunges and squats as well as interval cardio training. 30 second sprints 60 second jog or walk. That's how I fixed my run time when I was in.

Response by SGT Nathan G. made Mar 20 at 2018 2:18 PM

2018-03-20T14:18:13-04:00

Y'know what I go to when I wanna shave down my times for my runs?

I do Spartan Races.

total running distance is 3 miles.
Run 1 mile
After running the first mile, do 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats.
Run 1 mile
After running the second mile, do 75 pushups, 75 sit-ups, and 75 squats.
Run 1 mile
After running the third mile, do 50 pushups, 50 sit-ups, and 50 squats.
(If you feel like being super amazing, do another mile)
Run 1 mile
After running the fourth mile, do 25 pushups, 25 sit-ups, and 25 squats.

Make sure you are also warming up properly, stretching afterwards, and drinking plenty of fluids. Preferably water.

have fun!

This workout is recommended every once in a while. It builds overall body strength and will help your endurance for the 2 mile over time as your muscle grow stronger.

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Mar 20 at 2018 2:24 PM

2018-03-20T14:24:39-04:00

I started out weak in PT too. As the years went on, I was getting better at PT physically, but my determination sure built up! Depending on the assignments I was at, I used to try to run where there was little traffic on the road, but has plenty of light poles to gauge my run. At the first light pole, jog to the second one, then sprint to the third one, then jog to the fourth, and so on. The jog/sprint combination helped developed the lungs and knocked off time on your run. Just a thought. FYI - I completed two 1/2 marathons and ran plenty of 10k and 5k runs over the years.

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Mar 20 at 2018 2:42 PM

2018-03-20T14:42:06-04:00

Sprints. Burst speed and endurance doing them. Longer distances.

Response by SFC John Mckague made Mar 20 at 2018 2:52 PM

2018-03-20T14:52:13-04:00

On running get the time you want to finish and divide it by 8. Now go to a quarter mile track and run two miles Now run 4 quarter miles in the time you came up with to finish your run Work your way up so you can run 2 1/2 miles each quarter mile in that time. Take a break the same time as you ran Do this 3 or 4 times a week for 5 weeks you should be able to pass the run now. You can add a mile or two after the “speed “ work. Take it slow so you don’t get hurt. To do a marathon do a long run on the day of the marathon Since a marathon is distance start out slow add a mile or two every week
It takes six months to get ready for a marathon Start training early so a half marathon should take four months. Do cross training on days you don’t run
Take one Day a week off. Keep a log of your running This should have distance ran time how you feel before you run, after run and next day. Get a friend or two to run with you. Enjoy running on long runs

Response by SGT Aric Lier made Mar 20 at 2018 4:08 PM

2018-03-20T16:08:50-04:00

pick up the pace..... run with the faster groups....... my buddies were like why? but I pushed myself every run..... the bonus I was back showered and taking a nap waiting for them to show up and goto chow

Response by GySgt Charles O'Connell made Mar 20 at 2018 4:39 PM

2018-03-20T16:39:10-04:00

The quality of your shoes has lot to do with it, as well as your body posture, and breathing cadence. I'm 56, my routine before hitting the road calls for at least 20 min of stretching, being properly hydrated, when running your posture should be erect, with your arms swinging in cadence with your gait, keeping your chest expanding and relaxing taking in that all important O2. Set yourself longer distances, not just what you PFT calls for. Keep at it.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2018 5:06 PM

2018-03-20T17:06:43-04:00

Run, run, and then run some more.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2018 5:12 PM

2018-03-20T17:12:01-04:00

Run. Then run some more. After that, keep running.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Mar 20 at 2018 6:59 PM

2018-03-20T18:59:06-04:00

Along with exercise and food, ensure your shoes are good condition. They slowly wear out and need sporadic replacing similar to tires on a car. Running with proper shoes partially helps to lower your time.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2018 7:55 PM

2018-03-20T19:55:22-04:00

Lots of good suggestions here. And all will help you get that run time down. If I may, don't forget other activities which can help you improve your fitness level. These other activities should be used to break up the running and give your body time to "heal" from the exertion of running. You will also want to include some low/no impact activities to keep your legs healthy. Swimming is a good activity that is low-impact and will get your heart rate up so you get some cardiovascular benefit from it. Ask around and see if you can find a Master's swim team to work out with and find a reliable training partner. Good Luck!

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2018 9:43 PM

2018-03-20T21:43:22-04:00

Run, Zombies app. Fun story to listen to while running and played my music. Tracked miles, time and distance. That made running more fun.

Intervals. Or Sprint/walks of what you can do. Best way to improve your run is to run different ways and make it enjoyable.

I went from a 22 minute to 15 minutes and I had bad legs. Intervals and that run all helped me the most. Then I did workouts for legs and back to make it better

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 20 at 2018 11:28 PM

2018-03-20T23:28:57-04:00

1LT Private RallyPoint Member Fartleks...

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2018 8:15 AM

2018-03-21T08:15:32-04:00

Wind sprints and running at altitude. Before I got "old and feeble", I used to start out the morning running about 2 miles up a steep grade, back down, then 1-2 miles at full sprint on the flats. When I'd run the PRT (usually at a lower alt on a flat track), I'd scream down the lane without trouble. You might want to consider (once you're at peak) running with a light weight.

These days, I'm happy to get three in within 45 mins to 1 hr.

There's always going to be a trade off between speed and endurance, but you're using the same lungs and muscles. For long-distance running, the best preparation is to run increasingly longer periods of time without stopping until you reach your target. For speed, you have to have the ability to focus that muscle energy into a compact moment. Combining the two, if you learn to treat your endurance capacity like "fuel", and develop a mental "gauge", you'll be able to prevent running out of "fuel" before you run out of time.

Most people lose or win on the last lap...not the first. Once you build up a sense of just how long it takes you to make a lap, you'll get the "feel" for when it's time to dig deep and PUSH...if you're starting that last turn and "know" you'll make time at the current pace, you'll find yourself driving to "beat" it.

Response by SGT Jody Trapp made Mar 21 at 2018 4:41 PM

2018-03-21T16:41:25-04:00

Interval training and then do distance runs twice a week... the only way to get better at it is to just do it more often... that’s always worked for me

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2018 7:02 PM

2018-03-21T19:02:43-04:00

I was in the same position as you a few months ago,

honestly my best advice is find a track,
Sprint in the straights! Run like a serial killer is after you, then slow to a jog in the turns. Repeat this for 4 laps. On your last four maintain a 2 min lap pace through the next four.

That's the advice I got from my sergeant at drills and I crushed the 1-1-1 this morning with a 7 minute mile! When I started I was doing a 15 minute mile!

That change your mindset, your not running to get fit your running to pass. Give it everything you have and you will succeed

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2018 10:07 PM

2018-03-21T22:07:33-04:00

Run 300 meter intervals

Response by SGT Christopher Breen made Mar 22 at 2018 9:17 AM

2018-03-22T09:17:15-04:00

I also was not much for running when i first entered the service umtil i realized how important it was. Two things to do 1. Push your self on your time meaning go a little faster then you are used to 2. Run more of often. I ran about 5 miles with the unit for pt. In the morning witch killed me, then I started to run 2 miles at lunch time, then 2 miles after work for time, I would set a pace I did not think I could keep up for two miles. With in a couple of weeks my time improved. After six months I could max my run time. Taking in consideration thet I am short legged I got my time down to 10:27 For the two mile run. That about killed me I set a pace I knew I could not keep but I did.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 22 at 2018 9:44 AM

2018-03-22T09:44:58-04:00

Stretch well. Is the problem legs, wind, or timing? Legs and wind are fixed by exercise and sprints. Timing is a mind thing, and trickier.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2018 10:15 AM

2018-03-22T10:15:54-04:00

Two things, sprints and soccer. Someone said it earlier but I reiterate. Sprint straight portion of a track and jog/walk the curves. With soccer, play aggressive, don't walk.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2018 2:50 PM

2018-03-22T14:50:58-04:00

I say get used to distance running and the speed will follow. If you can't run 2 miles without stopping then how do you expect to run it as fast? Definitely step off the treadmill and run laps or track your mileage. I started doing either 3-5 miles on the weekdays and then doing longer runs on the weekends (6-8 miles). But ultimately it depends on how you eat. You're not going to get better with Popeyes or Burger King lol
Lunges/Iron Mikes, squats, and sprints really help

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2018 3:16 PM

2018-03-22T15:16:41-04:00

being consistent in your running is key. You can't run 1-2 days a week and expect results. A base is not as important when running a 2 mile but you still want to run frequently. At first you can fit a simple speed workout in your weekly regimen. What I make soldiers do is a set amount of repeats up to the distance required (ex. 8 x 400m, 4 x 800m, mile repeats etc). There is usually at least a half mile warm up and cool down on each end.

So if you are running a 15:30 and set a goal for a 14:00 you can try 8 x 400m.
Try running each interval/repeat at 1:45 with 2-3 minutes walking rest in between. As you get more fit take the rest period down and the last level would be to jog in between set with minimal rest. By that point you should be able to run that 14:00 with ease or at least close to it. ***keep in mind this is an example and may or may be your goal.

As far as the half marathon applies, running frequently is even more important. focus on doing the majority of your runs 30-60 seconds with your goal race pace. At least once a week at a shorter distance you should see how long you can hold your goal pace. Speed workouts will play a more important role as when you trying to meet a specified time. A golden rule for mileage is to never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%.

If you would like any specific advice or training plans to either distance let me know.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2018 5:27 PM

2018-03-24T17:27:45-04:00

Commitment, dedication, smart workouts, and consistency pay off! I am now at 7 ful marathons and 17 half marathons!

Response by LTC Lee Rials made Jun 12 at 2018 5:13 PM

2018-06-12T17:13:56-04:00

Turtles could outrun me when I was a runner, but the one thing that did make a difference in speed was hills. Run hard as you can up, let gravity take you down, and your quads will get stronger and make you faster.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2018 10:23 PM

2018-06-18T22:23:07-04:00

you can imitate hills on a treadmill programs list.
https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a20856463/how-to-run-hills-1/

How You Can Crush Any Hill

Here’s what you need to know about running uphill and running downhill.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2018 11:24 PM

2018-06-18T23:24:52-04:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member first, please remember that everyone is different. What works best for me might not work best for SGT X or CPT Y. And vice versa. You’ll probably get a bunch of different advice. All of it valid. Find what works best for you.

I always got better at 2 miles by training for 4-6 miles. If I could run 4 miles in 28 minutes, I know I could push myself to run two miles in 13 minutes on apft day. Mix in sprints, hills, 30/60s, 60/120s (once a week, try a few 120/240s. Killer). But the best way to run better is to practice running. If you can run 6 miles easily, 2 miles is nothing.

Also, I know some people don’t like running on a track, but I always found it much easier. With a desired run time and a watch timer, I would break each lap down into half lap times. I would gin into the apft knowing that to hit my time, I had to run each lap in a certain time. (First lap fastest, second slightly slower, etc.). So for 16 half laps, I was timing myself, trying to hit predetermined times for a pace that I knew I was capable of. “Oh sh*t, I was 2 seconds slower that half lap than I need to be. I need to make up 2 seconds over the remaining laps.” Or “sweet, I’m 4 seconds ahead of pace. I can keep pushing, or hold this pace and still hit my mark.”

Doing it like this kept my mind busy, and helped forget the monotony of running two miles. Just made it go a little faster. You’re concentrating on keeping pace, and you forget about running. So your body just runs.

Ultimately, like just about most Army tests, the APFT is designed for the lowest common denominator to be able to pass. If youre well rounded and capable in all several disciplines of running, an easy test like 2 miles will seem like nothing.

Anyway, take it all in and see what works best. Best of luck to you.

Response by Spc 1 J W. made Jun 26 at 2018 10:11 PM

2018-06-26T22:11:21-04:00

Fartleks, Swedish for speed play. I was running in the 13:30 range for the 1½ AF PT test (I am a large old man, btw!). I wanted to jump down to the next points group which was at the time 13:14 for my age group. I have my regular 3 mile run near my house that I love to run. So I started to do farleks instead of a regular run. So you're running along and you spot a landmark, a fire hydrant, a parked car or a road sign, etc and you sprint to it. Then you recover by walking or jogging and when you're ready you do it all over again. I did it for several runs 3 or 4 weeks leading up to PT. I ending up running a 12:44. It wasn't too bad and I didn't have to do and goofy track workouts.

Response by Spc 1 J W. made Jun 26 at 2018 10:16 PM

2018-06-26T22:16:24-04:00

I've run the half marathon 2 previous times and I have used Hal Higdon's training plans. I've started his Novice 1 training for a ½ that I'm doing mid-Septemeber. I haven't run regularly in a long time so I am basically starting over again and that's why I am starting with Novice 1
https://www.halhigdon.com/training/half-marathon-training/

There are other plans as well. The Hanson method https://hansons-running.com/pages/training-plans that people like as well.

Half-Marathon Training for All Skill Levels | Hal Higdon

Discover Hal Higdon's top-selling interactive half-marathon training programs, which promote a combination of endurance and speed while preparing for your next 13.1 mile race. Find the right program for your experience level here.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 12:17 PM

2018-06-29T12:17:56-04:00

I always had trouble running. Just running for time never excited me, but it was part of the job.
I got an MP3 player, and used to run/shuffle to music as well as jodie calls. It got me to actually enjoying my run time, as it was private. I could also sort out and think some things out. All in all, I would also run 3 miles, then it got to 4. I would also be running 3 or 4 days a week. Just easy runs, nothing hard. Not huffing and puffing at the end. Be able to talk at the pace you set. Oh, and I was 40, and by the time of the end of my deployment I was finishing to 2 miles 16:40. I thought not bad for 40.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2019 5:22 PM

2019-09-02T17:22:28-04:00

30-60, Hill repeats, 300s on run days. During non run days, ensure to do lunges, air squats, bear crawls and maybe add in some spider man push ups. Do stairs as well, ensure to do broad jumb burbees in between stairs.