What are the best ways to train for the best run time?

LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:52:08 -0400

I'n not the best runner in the world and I'm looking for tips to better my running.  I do pretty well in the push-ups and sit-ups, but barely pass the run.  Any tips would be much appreciated.  My goal is to max all my numbers eventually.  I know the first reaction is "run more" but that only helps so much.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Mar 21 at 2014 3:24 PM

SGT James Elphick — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:24:02 -0400

I have a couple of suggestions that helped me increase my score on the run. The first was to increase my running distances. A friend of mine and I started running together on Sunday evening, doing an 8 mile fun-run at a conversational pace. After a month or so of doing this I noticed that short distances (2-3 miles) were much easier and I was able to run faster. Once you have done that and are comfortable with longer distances I suggest a slow-fast cycle over a long distance. To do that I went to our normal APFT 2 mile run (at Bragg it was a mile out and back on Ardennes, you will need a similar set-up). From there I would do a slow jog down a mile and then run a mile as fast as I could back. Do this for 2-3 miles.

Hope that helps

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2014 5:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 17:28:34 -0400

More specific than running more, try to mix up how you run. Doing sprints will help with speed, and doing distance runs will help with endurance. I would work in about three sprint workouts per week, and fill in the rest with longer runs. Long runs are going to be specific to your limitations. If you are a long distance runner, then 10 miles might be doable, but if you aren't, start with 2-3 miles and build up slowly.

If you aren't getting much out of sprints, try building up to hill sprints, or longer sprint distances with less recovery distances.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Mar 21 at 2014 9:29 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 21:29:41 -0400

Hill training, sprints, and consistency.<br><br>Also, if your carry extra weight, consider losing some weight.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2014 9:35 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 21:35:04 -0400

Sir, look at FM 7-22 training calendar for toughening phase. Move to sustainment phase if you feel you aren't challenged enough. There you will find aerobic and anaerobic schedules that are far more challenging than what they look.

Right now I'm trying to improve my run time for a 5k (not racing, just personal goal). Nike+ running app has an outstanding training plan that shapes around your goal, running ability, and target date. You also have the ability of adding friends and challenging each other (I'm latimerf) Hope that helps.

Response by CWO3 Brent Kern made Mar 21 at 2014 9:39 PM

CWO3 Brent Kern — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 21:39:04 -0400

As crazy as it sounds encorporate jumping rope into your warm up and cool down sessions; jump rope hits those quick twitch muscles and is a fairly low impact gift to the cardiovascular and after 15 minutes of skipping rope you will be crushed like you ran 6 miles.

Response by SPC(P) Delcina Myers made Mar 21 at 2014 10:04 PM

SPC(P) Delcina Myers — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 22:04:48 -0400

I am also curious as to how to improve my run. For me, I'll get into the mind frame of running; I tell myself "This is for a promotion, schools, et cetera." But once I start running, and have been running for maybe 1/4 of a mile, I feel as if I can't breathe anymore. My chest and lungs hurt, I can barely take a breath at all, I get dizzy/light headed. So I get discouraged and stop running and go to a fast walk, and that screws my time up... Anyone have any ideas of what this could be? It's always been this way for me for as long as I know. I also dislocated my hips in basic training on the 15K, so that is also a factor as well, but not as much as the 'not being able to breathe' part. I've tried breathing in through my nose slowly, and letting it out slowly through my mouth; singing cadences, listening to music, everything. I'm actually concerned that its a medical problem - Asthma. Oh, and I hyperventilate REALLY easily. Any thoughts?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2014 11:18 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 23:18:10 -0400

Back when I was a young spring chicken and ran, I always found that 60/120's helped my time. I improved drastically doing those weekly.

Response by CSM Michael Poll made Mar 22 at 2014 8:05 AM

CSM Michael Poll — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 08:05:05 -0400

Your lungs are much like a muscle group. you have to hurt it to make it stronger. sprints, front to back runs or if you are by yourself a short sprint included in your regular run. I use telephone poles, sprint for two poles then jog for two etc. If you do not make it hurt a little you are not getting better. Cramping if from lack of oxegen to the muscle groups. First you must hydrate! then practice breathing. Breath control will help with the cramping!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2014 4:21 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 16:21:32 -0400

Once you train yourself up, it is vital that you keep on progressing. Bodies that are trained make less drastic changes than those who are not. Example, an initial entry Soldier may be in pretty poor physical condition when they enter. After a few weeks of training, their scores sky rocket. However, it drastically drops when they take leave before getting to their unit. Now someone who has done sports or physical activity for a long time will not get that sky rocketing improvement, but if for some reason they miss a little PRT time, their score will not plummet. This is due to the size and definition of their mitochondria. The mitochondria is the "power plant" of our cells. The more trained we are, the better defined and larger they are. Once at a well trained state, it is hard for them to increase or decrease rapidly. When I finished up Ranger School, I noticed some loss in my physical fitness. However, I was able to gain it back relatively quickly due to my prior physical activity levels before Ranger School.

Mix it up with sprints (400m, 600m, 800m, 1000, 1200), long distance, and carrying weight (IOTV/IBA) during run training. Make sure you are always keeping track of time and distance. A Garmin watch or apps like "Map My Run" or "Runkeeper" on your phone will tell you if you have to pick it up. If you go out for a run and do not keep track of what you are doing, it is easy to fall back into a leisurely jog with not much intensity. Finally, make it fun, run with groups or sign up for some running events (runningintheusa.com). Hope this helps.

Response by SSG Dave Rogers made Mar 25 at 2014 11:06 AM

SSG Dave Rogers — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:06:07 -0400

I had a few problems with getting good scores in running when I first entered. I would pass, but nothing great. I started putting weights on my ankles during morning runs with the unit, and even talked to my NCO about carrying a backpack after a while 1-2 times a week during the runs. I also started doing longer runs, while it was a different kind of run, I was building up my legs. 2 times a week I would do leg training at the gym. I also ensured that I stretched well before running, most people half stretch, but it does help.

What I found the most important after doing all that was;

1. finding the right shoes for me. I went to the foot doctor and told him my feet hurt when I ran, he gave me inserts for my sneakers, which I took to foot locker to help me find the right sneakers. He also recommended better socks for me to wear. For some it may not mean much, but the comfort of your feet can help you in running.

2. I asked the trainer at the gym to help me, and he showed me that I was putting pressure on the wrong part of my feet when I was running. He taught me how to lessen the friction on the balls of my feet.

I never became the best PT runner, but I did improve enough to get my PFB, and did well on long distance runs.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2014 9:59 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 21:59:17 -0400

Legs, legs legs and core, build up your leg muscles not necessarily with running alone. Running only will help, but your knees will hate you for it. Work your quads, calves and hamstrings etc. Inner and outer thighs hips on down to you ankles, feet and lumbar muscles. Couple this with running for longer distances 3-6 miles and 60/120s. Try to maintain an 8-9:30 pace for as long as possible on the long runs.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Mar 28 at 2014 10:34 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:34:44 -0400

Back when I could run, before my knees got old, interval training was a good way to help lower my time; 440s, 880s etc helped me out, especially if the 2-miler was done on a 1/4 mile track, you could really set your pace per lap...also mixing in longer runs on top of that. As for the cramping, like has been said, make sure you are hydrated well and electrolytes are good as well as good stretching before and after.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2014 2:19 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 14:19:48 -0400

Whenever I'm getting close to an APFT, I get ready by doing a lot of 5-mile runs. I don't even do practice 2-milers. My body gets used to running at that distance so that when I push my self doing 2 miles it's not that difficult. It may not work but it's worth a try. Another big thing is to make sure you're wearing a running shoe that suits you. I put on a whole minute when I wear shoes that I'm not completely comfortable running in.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2014 4:03 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 04:03:51 -0400

You need to start with fundamentals; sure sprints, running hills, resistance running, etc...are all great but you're not getting the full value of them if you're not running correctly.

The 2 things that hinder people when they run are:

-Breathing

-Form

You need to find a breathing technique that works for you, I recommend some slow long runs and use it as a time to focus and concentrate on your breathing...develop a pattern. The more you practice it the more it will kick in when you're trying to move fast for longer distances.

Form is key, running becomes almost effortless if you have the right form. This includes your posture, your arms, and how much follow through your legs do. Practice alot of the old school running drills:

-High Knees

-Butt Kickers

-Power Skip

When doing these focus on doing them correctly, and do them before every run. These 2 things will shave minutes of your time, mix it with sprints, hills, resistance, and some core training and you'll be running faster than you imagined.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2014 5:53 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 05:53:55 -0400

I was fortunate enough to begin running at a young age, and while I admit I have had some lengthy breaks in my running history practice is clearly the key to success. When I do take breaks and find my speed to have dwindled a bit I find the best workouts to boost my speed are interval runs.

A lot of people's reaction to intervals is to automatically say 60:120's and while that may work for some I have an alternative solution, mid-distance intervals. This is a nice approach because it also lets you run with others regardless of whether you are the same speed or not and all you need is an open stretch of road and a way of marking distances of 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600 meters and so on. Ideally I would mark the halfway point as a turnaround for each so you can return to the start point as a group. The goal is to run this distance in roughly 4.5 - 5 minutes which means depending on your two mile pace you will be going anywhere from half a mile to a mile and as your distance depends on your speed at the time you will all return at roughly the same time. Once the last person returns start a five minute timer in order to rest and then do the same thing over again. Three intervals is more than enough but once you get comfortable you can do as many as your body will take. It should be a goal to finish each interval in the exact same amount of time, something to think about when you start adding on more than three.

Additionally if you have the resources to acquire a heart rate monitor your goal should be to keep your heart rate level for the entire distance which really just means you need to maintain a steady pace throughout the run. Do yourself a favor and crunch the numbers a bit to figure out how far you run at your current 2 mile pace in five minutes and ensure you adjust that distance to a realistic goal, think small steps as you can always up the distance if you are consistently coming in under five minutes. Ensure you are running faster during these intervals than you are during your 2 mile or the exercise is pointless. Understand that the first time out is really just going to give you a gauge of where you are and where you need to be but once you adjust the distance to your own speed it is a smoker. Good luck, and don't give up.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made May 27 at 2014 10:03 PM

Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 May 2014 22:03:22 -0400

A couple of things I added to my run training to increase endurance and shorten run times. Repetitive hill running will dramatically increase your endurance. Find steep hills and run them no less than 5 times. Also, do some track running. Tracks are usually 400 meters, so start with jogging a lap, then sprinting a lap. Do this 4 times and then increase it as your endurance increases.

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made May 27 at 2014 10:10 PM

LT Jessica Kellogg — Tue, 27 May 2014 22:10:20 -0400

One trick that I've found helpful is if you're running on a track, at every ¼ mile do a set of sit ups or push ups (alternate each lap). I don't remember the theory behind this, but it seemed to help me.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2014 9:46 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 09:46:14 -0400

SGM Quick sorta of hit on this one. Run with extra weight so when you run for the test you run faster without that extra weight. I see some people wearing body armor or weights bought at a store. Also, some crazy people wear those "gas masks" looking things to control the amount of oxygen.

I heard if you run at higher altitude you can run faster at lower altitude. Has not worked well for me, but...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2014 10:13 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:13:18 -0400

Sprints is your best bet if you want to improve time. Not just short sprints either. Work anywhere from 400m sprints up to 1200m sprints. Do multiple sets of them and I promise you that your run time will get better. Distance running is good but its not going to help decrease your run time as much as sprints will.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2014 7:34 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 19:34:05 -0400

I hated running, still do. However, when I needed to improve my times, I would run less and cycle more. Cycle allowed me to exercise the muscle more without causing allot of impact problems. As well, swimming really helped me to build the cardio faster than running, again without impact damage and finally, when I did go out and pound the pavement, I would run stadium stairs. Vastly improved my run times while saving on the impact injuries.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2015 8:31 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 20:31:43 -0400

Sir. Their are plenty of tricks to max your run time starting from the shoes on your feet to your mind set. I run alot and here is my advice. Fm 7-22. Is a good training strategy but also try cross fit. Make sure your shoes fit you just right and are tied tight. Also swing your arms forwards and back as far as you can let them go. It will help you increase your stride. But dont forget to master a good breathing pattern. And acourse have the right mind step. Set a time in your head you want to make or bet and go for it sir. You can also do. Point to point runing on your testing. Pick a point in the distance and go for it as fast as possible and do it over again when you reach that point choose another one. I hope that helps you sir.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2016 3:33 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 03:33:17 -0400

100 meter and 400 meter sprints in conjunction with distance running will boost a 1.5 mile time. The distance running builds endurance, and sprints build speed.

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2016 5:26 AM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 05:26:10 -0400

Personally what works for me is to jump on the treadmill and set the incline as high as it can go (usually 15.0) and then keep increasing the speed until you get to 3.7-4.0. Stay on that for awhile, keep on pushing for longer time, and then when you put the incline back down, the running comes a lot easier. It increases my endurance, and helps to regulate my breathing a lot better. Hopefully this is helpful!

Response by COL Lee Flemming made Aug 29 at 2016 5:58 AM

COL Lee Flemming — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 05:58:26 -0400

Intervals, intervals, and more intervals...good luck!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2016 6:31 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 06:31:49 -0400

Run three miles and do lots of wind sprints.

Response by SGT Christopher Clarke made Aug 29 at 2016 6:33 AM

SGT Christopher Clarke — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 06:33:59 -0400

When I was running marathons while still working on 5k times, we did king runs plus interval training and 400 yard sprints. It was tough but you can make it happen. Best of luck.
Hooah

Response by CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR made Aug 29 at 2016 6:54 AM

CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 06:54:39 -0400

Run some long runs but incorporate so interval training that will certainly help

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Aug 29 at 2016 7:13 AM

Maj Marty Hogan — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 07:13:57 -0400

Speed work. Hills and intervals will also help.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Aug 29 at 2016 7:38 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 07:38:10 -0400

Run longer. Increase you "tank size" so you have more overall power, when you have to run short.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Aug 29 at 2016 3:45 PM

CPT Chris Loomis — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:45:43 -0400

COL Lee Flemming Hit the nail right on the head. INTERVALS! Interval training increases your lactic acid threshold. As your lactic acid threshold increases so does your ability to run faster and longer.

However, you need to simultaneously increase your overall endurance. Do that by taking long slow distance runs. Every other Sunday take a run that is about 30% longer than your normal training distance. Run it at a slower pace. Increase the distance of your long slow distance run by only 10-15% every other Sunday.