Need to better my times/Routine

SFTraining · Oct. 31/07, 11:29 PM

Well,
I just joined the site the other day, and have been doing some searching, and reading, but haven't found too many concrete examples, on top of the fact that I don't have much bandwidth here in Iraq (our network sucks).

A little background for those not following:

- I'm trying out for Special Forces in a few months (around Mar/Apr timeframe)
- Need to run 2 miles in under 15:54 but my goal is to do it in 14:00 or less
- Need to do push-ups/sit-ups
- Need to do Pull-ups
- Just quit smoking 2 months ago.

I'm looking for the best training regimen to accomplish my running goal. I ran 2 miles yesterday and it was just a touch over 16:00. I was previously an athlete, but, "let the good times roll," for about 6 years, so needless to say, about a month ago, I was very out of shape... Right now I'm running in the morning, and usually doing some upper body weight training, and then use the Eliptical (sp?) at night for about 20-30 minutes on a moderate to high intensity.

Is this good?? I give myself a day to rest, which is today, but what else can I do to vastly improve my times? I read/interpretted in the HIIT forum that doing long runs of over 30+mins will improve stamina, but won't do much for time improvement. Eventually I'll need to do both, but I'm just looking for tips.

Sorry about the novel... Figured it'd be easier to get more info out, since I can't post very often.

TIA

JT

Microwave8 · Dec. 07/07, 09:34 AM

Mix it up with different intensities and distances. Do some really hard runs of a mile. Then, you should maybe do some easier runs of 3 miles. Mix in some hard 2 mile runs too and you should see that time drop.

g8r80 · Dec. 07/07, 10:52 AM

What microwave said. You're ready for intervals. It helped my cycling speed tremendously. The only caution is you have to be ready for it, but with 8min miles, you are.

As for the pushups, pullups and situps, you just gotta do lots of them.

My cardiologist's son just got out of the Rangers (actually, I think he was with the uber-secret Delta, but the father either wouldn't confirm this or he didn't know). My doc said that his son can drop like a stone and do pushups for 30 minutes! Unfriggingbelievable!

Wrangell · Dec. 07/07, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFTraining

Well,

- I'm trying out for Special Forces in a few months (around Mar/Apr timeframe)

- Need to run 2 miles in under 15:54 but my goal is to do it in 14:00 or less

I'm looking for the best training regimen to accomplish my running goal. I ran 2 miles yesterday and it was just a touch over 16:00.

I read/interpretted in the HIIT forum that doing long runs of over 30+mins will improve stamina, but won't do much for time improvement. Eventually I'll need to do both, but I'm just looking for tips.

From Google, an interval training protocol for soldiers ...FYI

Quote:

The following example illustrates how the proper work-interval times and recovery times can be calculated for interval training so that it can be used to improve a soldier’s 2-mile-run performance.

The work-interval time (the speed at which a soldier should run each 440-yard lap) depends on his actual race pace for one mile. If a soldier’s actual 1-mile-race time is not known, it can be estimated from his last APFT by taking one half of his 2-mile-run time. Using a 2-mile-run time of 1600 minutes as an example, the pace for an interval training workout is calculated as follows:

Step 1. Determine (or estimate) the actual 1-mile-race pace. The soldier's 2-mile-run time is 16:00 minutes, and his estimated pace for 1 mile is one half of this or 8:00 minutes.

Step 2. Using the time from Step 1, determine the time it took to run 440 yards by dividing the 1-mile-race pace by four. (8:00 minutes/4 = 2:00 minutes per 440 yards.)

Step 3. Subtract one to four seconds from the 440-yard time in Step 2 to find the time each 440-yard lap should be run during an interval training session. (2:00 minutes - 1 to 4 seconds = 1:59 to 1:56.)

Thus, each 440-yard lap should be run in 1 minute, 56 seconds to 1 minute, 59 seconds during interval training based on the soldier's 16:00, 2-mile run time. Recovery periods, twice the length of the work-interval periods. These recovery periods, therefore, will be 3 minutes, 52 seconds long (1:56 + 1:56 = 3:52).
Using the work-interval time for each 440-yard lap from Step 3, the soldier can run six to eight repetitions of 440 yards at a pace of 1 minute, 56 seconds (1:56) for each 440-yard run. This can be done on a 440-yard track (about 400 meters) as follows:

1. Run six to eight 440-yard repetitions with each interval run at a 1:56 pace.

2. Follow each 440-yard run done in 1 minute, 56 seconds by an easy jog of 440 yards for recovery. Each 440-yard jog should take twice as much time as the work interval (that is, 3:52). For each second of work, there are two seconds of recovery. Thus, the work-to-rest ratio is 1:2.

As the soldier becomes more conditioned, his recovery is quicker. As a result, he should either shorten the recovery interval (jogging time) or run the work interval a few seconds faster.

It is recommended that interval training be done two times a week only during the last several weeks before an APFT. Also, he should rest the few days before the test by doing no, or very easy, running " .

Cardiorespiratory Fitness - Interval training

Beyond that, I'd try and throw in a 3 - 5 mile run once week along with a 2 mile run along with the 2 interval sessions.

SFTraining · Dec. 09/07, 11:33 PM

Thanks all for your support and info!!! I've been doing a lot of cardio using an eliptical at higher resistence, and now that I got my new running shoes, I've started running again. It feels good, although we can't run outdoors here much for a few reasons, one of them being the fine particulate in the air, is causing respiratory ailments left and right... I did 4.5 miles last night at 36min, and wasn't so much winded, as my legs were tired, and partly coupled with shin-splints...

As for the push-ups, I was doing them for a while, and got up to 70 in 2 minutes, but then realized that my upper body strength wasn't where I wanted it to be, so I changed up the routine, and have been doing weight training to increase my overall strength and to increase my core stability. I can do 63 sit-ups in 2 minutes, and I haven't tried push-ups, but I realize that by the weight lifting, I've probably diminished quite a few push-ups. As for pull-ups, sheesh.. I can't seem to win, but then again, I weigh 200lbs, and hadn't done them for a long time. I can do 6 solid, but my goal is to be able to do 15, in either position (chin-up/pull-up). I can do a bunch of chin-ups, probably 10 or so but was told to not use as much bicep and more back...

What are the repercutions of running 4-5 times a week, on top of cardio?? I figure not good since rest is the best for growth and development.

Thanks again!!

JT

Microwave8 · Dec. 11/07, 11:18 AM

Depends on how you feel. If you feel okay running 4-5 times a week on top of cardio then you should be fine but be sure to take an occassional easy week where you don't run as much so you don't burn out.

Need to better my times/Routine

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Need to better my times/Routine