help needed

mogsy

I have a fitness test in 9 days time for the military and need some advice. I need to do a mile and a half in under 11 mins 30 seconds, I can currently do the run on the exact time but need to get time down, I have been doing cardio in gym for last few months but only found out about test date today(i thought it would be in june) I ran 10k 2/3 times a week up unto november and have just been going to the gym since then. If anyone could point me in the right direction as to what i should be doing training wise would really appreciate it.should I just practice the run for the test or would i be better off running longer distances?

cfitz

That's a tough call, a good running coach would know the science behind it and might be able to give you the best advice.

I would suggest this:

Day 1: 1.5 mile Time Trial
Day 2: 20 minute easy run (not much more than a jog)
Day 3: Rest day
Day 4: 1.5 mile Time Trial
Day 5: 20 minute easy run (not much more than a jog)
Day 6: Rest day
Day 7: 1.5 mile Time Trial
Day 8: 10 minute jog followed by 4 x 60m stride-outs
Day 9: Army Fitness Test

That's far from ideal, but with 9 days left it's hard to know what to do. I think if you hit 11:30 in any of them time-trials, you would go way under in the pressure situation of the test. If possible, it would be important to do the time trials on a proper 400m track so that you know you are covering the correct distance. Lastly, if you went nicely under 11:30 on Day 4, you should probably replace the time-trial on Day 7 with nothing more than an easy 20 minute run.

mogsy

cheers thanks for advice, il let u know how i get on!

cfitz

yeah, if you do run any time trials, you can post up your times

mogsy

did 1.5 mile time trial today in 10 mins 35 seconds, down almost one minute from last friday

cfitz

When's the fitness test? You're well inside the mark there

Pherekydes

Well done, mogsy, you'll easily do it on the day.


And well done coach cfitz.

mogsy

fitness test is on monday 2nd april. felt good at the end so i think i can take more time off it by next week. will just do jogging as mentioned in plan above until then and il post final result next week ,cheers

cfitz

good stuff. Looks like you'll fly it

cfitz

How did it go?

mogsy

have only got chance to use internet now, passed run did it in 11 mins, was a bit disappointed as i had done same distance in 10.19 last thurs, found running in group slightly off putting and i dont think i got my pace right, had been practising run in phoenix park and when i changed to different venue i was unfamiliar with visual markings for my distance so this could have been another factor, well i suppose the main thing is i passed, thanks for help with training plan

cfitz

Well done. The important thing was to pass it - you know yourself you can run it in 10:19. And you could always do another time trial just to see if you can go any faster. Or run the Grade D 1500 metre race on Wednesday 11th of April. Anyways well done.

mogsy

cheers, that was my air corps fitness test I had on monday, will have my army one in june same test, so will keep on training and post again closer to time