Improving 1.5 Mile Time

The Master of Disaster

I have a test in mid-March where I'll be required to run 1.5 miles in under 10 minutes, although the quicker the better. At the moment depending on the day I'm hitting about 10:45-11:00 but the frustrating thing is that I was training for about 2-2.5 months before Christmas and didn't seem to be making any gains at all! I'm hoping that with smarter training over the next while I'll knock at least a minute off that time!

I was doing a program that was also five days a week that consisted of one long run, three interval-type runs and finishing up the the week with a 1.5 mile test. The problem with this was that I felt just one long run a week wasn't enough for me to build a solid base. I'm actually reasonably OK over the first mile or so but it's after that that I badly drop off leading me to the conclusion that I need to work on endurance. I'm also under the impression that it's better build up a good base in terms of mileage and that the fitness and speed will then follow?

Anyway so start of a new month and a new years this is the current plan:

Mon: Steady run*
Tuesday: Hill sprints (8-10 times 100-150m with recovery period)
Wed: Steady run
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Interval (Normally 8-10 times 0.25 or 0.5 mile repeats at goal pace or higher)
Sat: Steady Run (replace with 1.5 mile timed every second week)
Sun: Rest

*In theory are what you'd call my long steady runs but I'm hesitant to call them that at the moment because the distance is so low! I've decided to swallow my pride and go back and start with just two miles and then build up by 10% each long run. That'll get me up quite quickly i.e. even by the end of the first week I'll go from 2-2.5 miles and at that rate should hit 5 miles within 4 weeks.

I have 10 weeks so the plan is to do this for 4/5 weeks and quickly build up a base and then invert the plan for the remainder of the time so that I'll be doing two steady runs and three interval-type sessions.

Experienced runners any comments?

RayCun

the army fitness test, right?

You could have a look at this thread

YFlyer

Base Period

Building up the miles would be the right approach. You should attempt to increase your running to 6 or 7 days a week. If you feel good any day pick up the pace every 10 minutes for 45 seconds or so. It doesn't have to be too much of an increase.

Do four to six 100 metre strides at a fast pace after your run 2 or 3 days a week.

After 3 weeks, maybe run 6 or 7 miles easy to comfortable for one of your runs.

rom

You are probably running too fast. I did a road race last Monday and I was doing about that pace until the climb.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/136510023

I ran the previous week higher than normal mileage. like 37 miles and at 10 min/mile pace @ 150 HR. I have been increase mileage since and know I could do better if I did it next Monday. I didn't feel as if I was going all out as it was a 4 mile race I kept some in the tank also.

Presently you may be able to sprint 1/4 of a mile at 6 min pace or close to that.

I ran 1k miles last year and most of those were at 7 1/2 miles or 8 min or similar. I only now understand what building a base is. I was doing intervals and sprints etc but my legs would be in bits after it.

As your test is mid-march then you have a bit of time. I improved last year up until March or so when I was running long runs and not loads of effort. I started to pile on the effort after that and I didn't get any better.

I am just speaking from my experience that I feel that I could do 1.5 miles in just over 9 mins if I had to.

I was under the impression that elite runners for 3000 and 5000m focus on sprinting but really alot of their training is high mileage also. between 100-150 miles a week. That is how someone like Sonia O'Sullivan was running marathons and 5k and 10k which as very different events.

Running high mileage sounds harder than it is but when you slow down its easyier than run half that mileage at race pace intensity which I was doing.

[again people on here know a lot more about it than me]