Must Pass Cooper Fitness Test Help (Read 3363 times)

Ya  AZ I am going to the local high schools 440 track to get a solid grip on the distance. I still have to go to the gym at night to due the rest of my workout. I will say one thing though I am sleeping like a rock.

 

Notice that some of the plans I pasted links to suggest cross-training on alternating days with the running.

Apologies.  Four weeks...

 

How about something like the following...

 

You did the 1.5 miles already at a 12:20 pace or so.

 

Take a look at the following plan.

 

Mondays are about cardiovascular conditioning and endurance.  You could take walk breaks within those.  This day with the build up of the longer mileage is what will let you do the 1.5 miles four weeks from now without the "side stitches" / pain in the sides by the ribs.

 

Wednesdays are about speed.  You'll need to get used to doing some speed.  Part heart, part head.  You could do these on the track you have access to.  The first Wednesday is basically walk around the track 2x to warm up, run around once fast, walk around to let the heart rate come back down on another lap, run around fast again, let the heart rate come back down on another lap, and then finish with two more walking cool-down laps.  The first Wednesday example is a total of 2 miles.  This day is what will let you shave off those four minutes.  By the fourth week, you would need to be doing the quarter mile "sprints" making it around the track within 2:20 or 2:25 or so for the lap.

 

Fridays are about cardiovascular conditioning.  You could take walk breaks within as needed.

 

Saturdays are about check pointing where you're at and "practicing" for Game Day.  If possible, you should do this run in conditions as similar as possible to where you have to do the final Fitness Test.  If you're doing the Fitness Test on a treadmill, do this on a treadmill.  If you're doing the Fitness Test on a track, do it on a track, the same track if possible.  If you're doing it on a road, do it on that road or a similar one.  This will help much with the "in the head" confidence type issues.

 

Other days you could do weights as you do as well as walk.  I would suggest doing the walking before the weights.  That'll get your heart rate up for doing weights and it'll stay somewhat elevated during weights by doing some cardio before.  If you do weights in a gym where there's an elliptical or a stationary bike, you might want to consider doing that for light cardio on the non-running days.  Otherwise do you have access to a bicycle?  For sake of your feet and shins.  If there's any way you could get this additional heart and lung conditioning in without having to impact feet and shins, seriously see if you can.

 

You can shuffle the days around to accomodate your schedule but note the use of rest days too between these harder workouts.  Every-other-day technique is effective as it gives muscles time to recover and repair.

 

Don't take what I'm giving her as a "recommendation."  I have no clue of your current cardiovascular health.  I'm not a doctor and I don't even play one on TV.  I also welcome other people's input to the ad hoc plan below.  You might even want to take the plan to cardiovascular specialist and do one of the first week workouts at the doctor's office or clinic, on the treadmill there.  Caveat emptor.  Certain conditions apply.  I'm just trying to help.

 

Like Nobby pointed out and with all due respect here too, the people making you do this evidently don't actually care about your actual health and well-being as much as they may care about either checking off a check box or perversely making you suffer for sheer suffering's sake.

 

I remember 20 years ago having to doing a similar Cooper Fitness Test for a physical education class in college where I had to get a specific time to get an A and I hadn't worked out all semester. 

 

Best of luck.

 

Drink lots of water.

 

Get good running shoes.

 

 

Week 1:

Monday  - Half mile warm-up walk, 2 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Wednesday  - Half mile warm-up walk, 2 x (¼ mile speed run, ¼ mile walk), half mile cool-down walk

Friday - Half mile warm-up walk, 2 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Saturday - Half mile warm-up walk, 1.5 mile run for time, half mile cool-down walk

 

Week 2:

Monday - Half mile warm-up walk, 2.5 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Wednesday - Half mile warm-up walk, 3 x (¼ mile speed run, ¼ mile walk), half mile cool-down walk

Friday - Half mile warm-up walk, 2 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Saturday - Half mile warm-up walk, 1.5 mile run for time, half mile cool-down walk

 

Week 3:

Monday - Half mile warm-up walk, 3 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Wednesday - Half mile warm-up walk, 4 x (¼ mile speed run, ¼ mile walk), half mile cool-down walk

Friday - Half mile warm-up walk, 2 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Saturday - Half mile warm-up walk, 1.5 mile run for time, half mile cool-down walk

 

Week 4:

Monday - Half mile warm-up walk, 3 mile jog, half mile cool-down walk

Wednesday - Half mile warm-up walk, 4 x (¼ mile speed run, ¼ mile walk), half mile cool-down walk

Game Day - Half mile warm-up walk, 1.5 mile run for time, half mile cool-down walk

 

Keep posting.  We'll do our best to help.

Wow, I am always happily amazed by the support and knowledge of this group!  I think you are in good hands.  I can't wait to read about your progress!

Well Today is my 5th real day of training and I have made some major gains. Three days ago I purchased a real pair of running shoes and my feet feel great. No more pain in my upper half of my foot. I am now able to walk, jog, and run 6 miles a day. I have split my workout into two times daily each doing three miles,  and in the evening I go to the gym to do my body workout. My current time for my  1.5 miles  is 17.44. When I first started it was around 26.30. I am getting faster but the main thing is I can run further now without stopping. The pain is now gone from my legs and feet and each day I feel better running. I must now work on cutting four minutes off of my time. I no I can due it !!!!!!!

I still say you don't need any hard "workouts".  All you ned is a little endurance.  Don't overdo it and take a rest day if your body is sore.  Then make sure your last 3 days before the test are nice and easy so you go into the test primed and ready to run the whole thing.

 +1

and best of luck

Dear friends I am 50 years old and I must now pass a fitness test the cooper. I am not a runner and have 1 month to jog 1.5 miles in 14:33. I am not overweight 5"10 179 pounds. Can I do it in that short of a time ? please help with any type of training plan.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

 

Tom:

 

So this was 11/18.  And you had 5 days of training by 11/25.  You ave a little over 2 weeks before your test.  How is progressing?  Did Thanksgiving week interferred? ;o)

Hey dude!  What happened to you!

 

 

I think he's eloped with Major Gains.