help with 1.5 mile training

Trout27

Hello,

I need to be able to run 1.5 miles for an army fitness test in 11 minutes 40 seconds. i never really ran until the last few weeks and even then ive just been running a 5k trail at a light pace. i tried the 1.5 two days ago and did it 11 minutes. i know its under the required time but thats the bare minimum time. id like to do it in 9ish minutes. only problem is i have only 4 weeks. probably a touch unrealistic but im going to try. i'm looking for a weekly training schedule or even some tips. I've recently started 8x400m. do you think this should be done only once a week with the remaining week just running the 1.5 as fast as i can? i do strength training so im not entirely clueless on rest/recovery/overtraining etc. sorry if im posting this in the wrong area.

Trout27

Balls, seems i did post it to the wrong forum, no idea how to move it............

ooter

I've never really trained for such a short distance so maybe others would advise differently but if you went out 3 times a week for the next 4 weeks you should see improvements in your time but honestly couldn't see you getting it down to 9 mins, that's a pretty tasty pace.
Continue with the speed/interval stuff one of the days, another day do some work at race pace and the other day slow/recovery.

Trout27

thanks for the reply ooter. yes 9 minutes is a bit ambitious alright. 3 days a week seems a little light though? do you think some longer distance running could help or should i just stick with the distance ill be running on the day and not over complicate things?!

ooter

Upping the distance/mileage and days you run too quickly could end up getting you injured, 3-4 times a week with at least a day's rest in between is more than enough to get you to your goal I reckon.

JMSE

Our club couch to 5k training delivered us to 2.5k after 4 weeks and to 5k after 8. So if that's typical of all c25k plans and I think it is, then you are already at week 4 given that you've run 1.5miles (2.5k).

Maybe you could jump in right now on a c25k plan, on week 5, get your pace sorted for a realistic goal time, and train on that. Not only would you be training right but you'd be building a great base for going further than 1.5 miles (it's a drug, u can't refuse) !

rom

Trout27 wrote: »

Hello,

I need to be able to run 1.5 miles for an army fitness test in 11 minutes 40 seconds. i never really ran until the last few weeks and even then ive just been running a 5k trail at a light pace. i tried the 1.5 two days ago and did it 11 minutes. i know its under the required time but thats the bare minimum time. id like to do it in 9ish minutes. only problem is i have only 4 weeks. probably a touch unrealistic but im going to try. i'm looking for a weekly training schedule or even some tips. I've recently started 8x400m. do you think this should be done only once a week with the remaining week just running the 1.5 as fast as i can? i do strength training so im not entirely clueless on rest/recovery/overtraining etc. sorry if im posting this in the wrong area.

So currently you are doing 7:20/mile approx for your 1.5 mile and you want to bring that down to 6 min/mile. You want to do this in 4 weeks.TBH if I was you I would just happy that you can make it now. Going crazy training could result in you getting an injury. Set a goal for next year because I would expect that is how long it would take an average person. btw there has been many similar posts over the years. just look for army fitness test

Trout27

Thanks for the reply. Yes the 9 minute mile a half won't be happening but I definitely feel I can get below 10 minutes. I ran it today in 10.20. My breathing is holding me back a bit I think I'll have to look up proper technique. My stride might be a bit long aswell. Surely 9/10 more sessions has to bring my time down!! I'll have to let you know what I run on the day. Also did search boards for similar topics but I struggled to find answers relevant to me.

IvoryTower

Your breathing is your fitness, it just gets easier as you get fitter. Don't worry about your stride, it's not something that changes over 4 weeks.

Keep in mind youll probably do better on the day thanks to the adrenalin. Personally I'd concentrate on running slower for longer until then. I'd also be well rested the week of the test, nothing you do with a week to go will make any difference, but being well rested could make a big difference

gramar

Going every second day is plenty. Train hard for 3 weeks and like Ivory Tower said just take it easy the last week. A few easy runs to keep you ticking over.
Nothing you will do then will make you go faster but it might make you lose time.

Over 3 weeks I'd do a mix of intervals and longer runs.
For intervals 8x400m or 10x200m will help you get faster and then some longer runs of 5/6kms to build some resistence.

Ceepo

Trout27 wrote: »

Hello,

I need to be able to run 1.5 miles for an army fitness test in 11 minutes 40 seconds. i never really ran until the last few weeks and even then ive just been running a 5k trail at a light pace. i tried the 1.5 two days ago and did it 11 minutes. i know its under the required time but thats the bare minimum time. id like to do it in 9ish minutes. only problem is i have only 4 weeks. probably a touch unrealistic but im going to try. i'm looking for a weekly training schedule or even some tips. I've recently started 8x400m. do you think this should be done only once a week with the remaining week just running the 1.5 as fast as i can? i do strength training so im not entirely clueless on rest/recovery/overtraining etc. sorry if im posting this in the wrong area.

1st of all forget about running the 1.5 ml again until test day.
You ate currently running a 5k trial loop. Keep this going at least 1 and if not 3 times per week but keep it very light running. Also continue with the 400's these should be done fast NOT hard, stay relaxed and try keep an even pace for all of them. You could also include another run, something like 3k but include 5 x 20 strides (NOT SPRINTS ). This will help with leg turn over.

As others have said don't over do it.

All the best with the test

Trout27

just thought i'd let ye know how the run went. done it this week. in 9.20. i think what really helped was when i stopped running with earphones. i hadnt paid attention to my breathing when i was listening to music. i was taking really shallow breaths really fast to get some air in so i was winded after a few hundred metres. anyway when i started inhaling timed with 2/3 strides it helped no end. also started breathing using only my mouth as i find i get more air in. works for me anyway!

ooter

Well done, that's a big improvement.

Swashbuckler

Well done. Massive improvement.