Heres a question ...

Is it possible to increase your running performance in a few weeks that you are able to knock 2-3 minutes off your 1.5 mile run time?

Originally Posted by Quincy

Heres a question ...

Is it possible to increase your running performance in a few weeks that you are able to knock 2-3 minutes off your 1.5 mile run time?

Quincy

Absolutely, I went down from 14 minutes - stop laughing- to 9.55 at my best (the RSC had a hill I wasn't expecting so that definatly added some time) in six weeks. I ran two days then one off and it seemed to work for me. Was hard though with me definatly watching the clock to squeeze out the last few seconds. As soon as I'd done it I put my speed up for the next run. Just don't expect to look too pretty after your run, I had without a doubt the redest face in the gym every day.

Originally Posted by BurnCK

I finished in 10min 15 secs....I'd been getting under 10 mins in practice but when we did the real thing it was through a park, over grass, uneven terrain, etc,...so it really did take its toll on me as Id been used to running on roads. Plus he made us do half the course as warm up before we did the real thing, so in effect we did 2.25 miles !

As you said, it's called a warm-up! It stops people hurting themselves.

Dont take your watch with you on the run.

If you want your best effort from a run, dont allow yourself to think, this pace is "alright."

Make sure your route from doorstep to doorstep is 1.5 then leave your watch inside the house. The final 200 / 300 meters are alot faster as a result, instead of jsut glancing at your wrist to reassure yourself you are doing well.

Pill

Pillager
Can't really argue with any of that but for those for whom running is a bit alien. It can take a bit of time before you get an idea of what pace you can and can't maintain. I clearly was not a runner when I started and found that I either ran myself out of steam in no time at all or frankly I made it round with too little effort if I tried it on my own outside.

If you already know what your body is or isn't capable of then running outside, no watch, an pushing yourself is best. But if you were like me then the treadmill let me work out what pace I could maintain because it remained constant (no slipping back without realising it) and the time this would result in.

I guess what I'm saying is that the treadmill is for thoes of us who have been out of training so long that we need to relearn something as basic as pacing ourselves. Its all very well taking the give it all you've got attitude and shoot off from the beginning but if you don't now how to pace yourself (and i do mean pace not coast), you'll be on your knees before the end.

Of course if you can get another runner to go with you, who is a bit fitter then this can have the same effect. The chances are though that most people don't have anyone to do this with.

Just a thought.
Franz

hi guys
I go to the gym every second day at the moment, and use the treadmill everytime. I have it running at between 2.0 and 2.5 which by the looks of what one of the posters wrote is above normal running conditions. I ran 1.5 in 12.45 but when I ran outside I could barely do half that without collapsing, so even if you run on a treadmill, its a good idea to go for a run around the park. Running outside is completely different! On my rest day I have even started going for a run in the park in the mornings and then again at night to condition myself.
Food for thought
cheers

hey Franz, thats for that advice regarding using a treadmill to better your performance. I have just finished my selection process for the Royal Navy (and i know about Rum Ration, but a fitness question won't interest many responses, unless it involved there time in "Ganges" lol) and i completed my time in 10mins 29secs. Now the time allowed for the Navy is 12mins 20secs no matter what your joining, unless the Marines ofcourse, so i was very happy with my time. The only problem being that the initial test is on a treadmill so therefore alot easier than on the ground. I have two running problems that i would grately appreciate advice on.

Firstly, running on the road is really hard for me. I actually bearly completed the time allowed and had to take two breaks during it. During the test however, i was hardly wrecked at all when i finished.

Secondly (which can also help with the first one) motivation. When i run on my own outside, or even on the treadmill, i seem to get wrecked very quickly either by burning myself out by running too fast at the start, or if i feel a bit tired i'd take a break. Now i'd love to kill myself when i do this as i know if i was someone watchingme do this, i'd kick them a good kick up the ar*e and tell them to get on with it. But when i'm in a situation, for example the test, i can make myself do it and i don't feel the need to stop, So basically Franz, do you have any advise on mental techniques to help me keep going when running?

p.s, i stand back awaiting the slagging for being a useless c*nt at running, but be gentle as this is my first post and bare in mind, i'm joining the submarine service, so honestly, how much running do i really need to do? lol

I currently spend most of my time in crowded Hong Kong and also travel lot so end up doing most of my running on a treadmill. Even without an incline I actually find my treadmill times slower than on a road or a track. I have just done a 10k "fun" run about 90 seconds quicker than my treadmill time.

One of the reasons is that treadmills seem to take quite a long time to build up to speed so you lose probably 15 to 20 seconds at the start. I also find it difficult to get just my right natural pace on the treadmill so am often running marginally faster or slower than I would like. This is especially true at the end when outside I would be picking up the pace and really pushing it for the last couple of hundred metres which I just can't manage to do on treadmill.

The main problem I have with the treadmill is that I seem to get a lot more injuries than on the road or track (I have problems with my lower legs and feet which mean I tend to get a lot of running injuries even with special shoes).

The treadmill is also not great for increasing speed as opposed to distance. This is not exactly advanced stuff so sorry if I am just stating what everyone already knows. Once you are comfortably running the distance just running 2.4 k (or a bit further to give you some reserve) is not the best way to improve times over that distance it is most effective for building the endurance to run further. For at least some sessions you should switch to intervals or fartlek. The idea of these is to get used to running at a faster pace over shorter distances so that the heart and lungs adapt to a quicker pace.

Intervals involves running a shortish distance fast then jogging or walking to recover followed by more repeats. Examples might be 4 fast intervals of 400 metres with a 400 metre walk/jog to recover between or 3 intervals of 800 metres with similar recovery betwen.

Fartlek is just less structured. During your run you just vary the pace and include a few faster paced bursts of varied distance.

One speed session a week is probably enough with other steady runs.

navymedictobe

Much as I'd like to be the kind of bloke who could sl*g you off being a crappy runner I very foolishy admitted to my original running time above so I haven't a leg to stand on.
As for the mental part I stuggled too (as I do with all things mental, now that I think about it). Given that for the mile and a half is only tacking 10-12 minutes it may surprise those naturally active people that I often considered giving up on it (early as well). There were two ways round this that I found:

1. Do the occassional longer run, maybe 3 miles or so, and don't time it, just run it round at a comfortable pace. This to prove to yourself that you can keep going - no clock and no pressure.
You don't need to build this into your training as a regular thing if you don't want, but what you'll find is that when your back running your 1.5 you can keep reminding yourself when your considering giving up that "bloody 'ell, I did double this the other day, even I'm not so shite that I have to stop now"

2. Now this really is for the truely pathetic like myself. Break the run up into timed segments. When your considering stopping ask yourself how bad do you really feel?. The answer is probably that your not enjoying it and are a bit hot and uncomfortable but sod it, you can see the clock and you've already done two thirds and haven't died, so you can certainly do one third more. I.e you've got less to go than you've done and that bit didn't kill you why should the next lesser bit.

Ps. Not only am I not a personal trainer, I am also not a psychologist so don't kill yourself based on my advice. This is just what worked for me and I accept that I may be subnormal in many respects.

Also just noticed your posting time navymedictobe, some sleep would probably help too.

Hope this helps
Franz

Originally Posted by welshblokemiles

For phucks sakes....

How can anyone get through the net doing runs at 12 and 13 minutes?!?!?! When I was doing those times I had a gut the size of Belgium.

That seriously takes the urine - Quincy, I am by no means fit as a fiddle, but I can do it in 1040, and I'm 14 stone and 5'10!!!

So I'll be damned if anyone here asks "is it ok if I only manage 13 minutes?"

DON'T SETTLE FOR UTTER SHYTE TIMES LIKE THAT, PUSH YOURSELF YOU FAT FATHERLESS!

I did. x

here endeth the rant...

Well Said Welshbloke. Can't agree more. The fitness of some of the Sh1te they are turning out of training nowadays is shocking. When us old farts can beat the yougsters on PFTs leaves a lot to be desired. Stick em all on remedial PT with all the fat lard arrses. What ever happended to personal pride?