I’m leaving for BCT on March 11. I’m getting nervous about the run. Long story short I’m too slow. Does anyone have some tips?

2019-01-17T23:07:14-05:00

My recruiter has told me to do 60 second sprints 120 second jog. Is there anything else I can do to get as good as I can before I leave?

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2019 11:28 PM

2019-01-17T23:28:07-05:00

Run two miles on a track. Every 100 meters sprint. Over time, try to extend your sprint duration by 100 meters.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2019 11:51 PM

2019-01-17T23:51:49-05:00

Just run

Response by Marcus Kesler made Jan 18 at 2019 12:09 AM

2019-01-18T00:09:50-05:00

It seems counter-intuitive, but to build up speed it helps to run a bit slower and to increase distance. Don't focus on the sprints right now, but just focus on easy runs and increasing your total mileage every week. It doesn't matter how fast your 60 second sprints are if you cannot maintain a fast pace like that over two miles because you don't have the endurance needed for that pace. The basic idea is that if you can manage 75% effort over 60+ minutes while running at a slow pace, you can then give a better 100% effort over the 2 miles for your test.

I don't know what your baseline mileage is right now, but a good program can look something like:

MWF 3 miles, 1st Saturday 5 miles, 2nd Saturday 6 miles, 3rd Saturday 7 miles.
Halfway through February bump your MWF runs up to 4 miles and maybe stop at 8 miles for Saturday. Now would be a good time to do a trial timed run to see where you are standing. And with more endurance, now may also be a good time to look into doing some speed work if needed.

tl;dr

If you can run slower for longer, you will get faster over shorter distance.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2019 12:33 AM

2019-01-18T00:33:21-05:00

PFC Private RallyPoint Member Enter "Run Time" in the Search bar above, hit enter, and then click on "Answers". You will find other Posts that deal with the same topic. Do not be nervous, instead take action to have a better run time. Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2019 1:24 AM

2019-01-18T01:24:47-05:00

When I went to boot (USMC) our first PFT test was at the end of week 1. I nearly failed - and that was taking into consideration that we only had to do 3 pull ups and a 1.5 mile run. Not even 1/2 a full PFT. We ran in formation for the next 3 months, ran solo on the obstacle and confidence courses, and ran some more. We even had those 10 mile runs in 3rd phase (3rd month). Each month we had a PFT test with a minimum score to meet for that test.

I did not prepare for boot. Our PFT includes a 3 mile run. 18 minutes for max score, 28 minutes is an automatic failure of the whole test. I had never run 1 mile in my life and was pretty sure I would never get close to that 18 minute 3 mile pace. My final PFT run was 20:20!

I never ran a PFT that fast again but what I did do was run fast enough, max my pull-ups, max my sit-ups so I was always in the 1st class PFT category.

My advice would be not to worry about time right now but work on endurance. Get to a point where you can jog 4 miles without a break. You gain speed and endurance by doing. Remember: Practice does NOT make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Sprints may help with lung capacity. Muscle endurance is built by running longer and longer distances. When a shorter run comes up it will almost feel like a sprint.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2019 6:23 AM

2019-01-18T06:23:34-05:00

60/120s are garbage, intervals are better.
The Fuhrman Institute for running has a first 5k 12 week running plan that has 3 runs a week. You'll absolutely drop 1-2 minutes off your 2 mile time.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2019 8:03 AM

2019-01-18T08:03:02-05:00

Plenty of time to prepare. Google stew Smith's 2 mile run for the program I used. It's a mix of longer endurance runs, short runs for speed, and agility. The key is learning the pace you need for the score you want. Do not train to pass, you are giving yourself a small margin of error. Train to Max it, so if you fall short, you'll have more room to pass. Good luck, you can do it.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Jan 18 at 2019 11:12 AM

2019-01-18T11:12:12-05:00

Google! Go online and read about the ten ants of fitness. Find a tool to gauge where you currently stand on distance and speed. Select a program and a friend to workout with you. Almost any program will improve your needs. Just trying to do it when you have t been able to do it on your own is counter intuitive. Thank you for your service.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 18 at 2019 4:46 PM

2019-01-18T16:46:19-05:00

I dramatically improved my run time by running 3-4 miles a day.

Response by SPC Ruben Reyna made Feb 4 at 2019 10:32 PM

2019-02-04T22:32:07-05:00

Run faster troop

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Feb 27 at 2019 1:48 AM

2019-02-27T01:48:13-05:00

I had to run 2 mi in 18 mins for Army ROTC, in fatigues and boots, a mile and a half in 12 mins at USAF OTS at Lackand broiling summer heat...I had to teach myself how to do it right, and developed a method that actually worked for me...the trick, I'd found, to long distance aerobics, that got me up to 8 mi nonstop at Lackland and after, is breathing control...I'd had asthma, though not horrible, no meds needed, once I got my weight down, I was down to 148 lbs, at 5 ft 7 in, at the lowest I ever got...every third step, that is, every third footfall, of forcefully exhale, to blow off carbonic acid buildup, those listening to me thought I was totally crazy, however, I began to realize that the difficulty in aerobic running, as in asthma, isn't the inability to inhale, it was the inability to exhale...I sounded like a steam locomotive, however, I passed the Army run, though I sprained an ankle thereafter, so my run time spent back up, by a cpl of secs...when I was at USAF OTS, I made it by literally one second, I kid thee not...another suggestion, if you've ever done martial arts, or would take some advice, is aikido, which is incredibly fatiguing when done right, and seriously...three hours of aikido is pretty equivalent to running 10 miles, I assure you, I also did iaido, which is Japanese sword, using wood or blunted metal swords, I only used the wood type, also extremely isometrically fatiguing to the upper body, as well...I assure you, I was NOT athletic in high school, and positively detested gym and organized sports...however, I also iked with a group from NYC to Quebec in my last summer undergrad, as well as swim quite frequently...I'd be most eager for your thoughts, esp about the breathing control, I've also wanted to do racewalking, and have been looking for groups by my wife and myself that do it, as well....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Feb 27 at 2019 1:50 AM

2019-02-27T01:50:04-05:00

And I do def know my approach was odd and offbeat, however, I did it for yrs, and it most definitely worked, it also helped focus my concentration, as well as helped minimize boredom, which I always found true in running, at least for me, I'm obv not saying others, of course....