Forums > General Running > How to devise a beginner training plan
Week 1:
Monday-Slow, easy 3 miles
Tuesday-Off
Wednesday-CMU Track- 400 WU, progression: 1x400 in 2:30, 1x400 in 2:15, 1x400 in 2:00, each with 200 jog, 400 CD
Thursday-Off
Friday-Slow, easy 3 miles
Saturday-Off
Sunday-Slow, easy 3 miles
Week 2:
Monday-Slow easy, 4 miles
Wednesday-Track workout-400 WU, progression: 1x400 in 2:30, 2x400 in 2.00, 1 x 800 in 4.00, 200 jog after each repeat, 400 CD
Friday-3 easy
Saturday-off
Sunday-3 easy
I would keep progressing each week until the PT test. Is this too much for a newbie runner? Does it look good? Advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks...
Getting Faster!!!
Seriously, if this cadet hates running and complains about it, then he should not be commissioned. I personally wouldn't want a future leader who complained about running two miles and letting everyone know it, supervising enlisted personnel. If he really wants to stay in the program he should seek help from his teammates instead of waiting for the Colonel to task you to help him. He has no initiative and doesn't sound like military material to me. A free ride on an ROTC scholarship should require that the cadets give 100% physically, mentally and academically. He should appreciate that his education is paid for by taxpayers. I've seen some fat boys who couldn't run 1/4 mile work hard and past their PT test. It happens everyday.
I serve our great country and during my training I had doubts. However, I keep them to myself ,sucked it up and tried harder.
By the way, you plan seem reasonable. However, this guys going to hate you and complain the whole time. If he complains about 2 miles, what's he going to do on the 3 mile runs you planned? I don't even want to think about what would happen during the Wednesday speed workouts.
2011 Races Houston Aramco Half Marathon 1/30/11 - 1:32:45 (PR) Buffalo Wallow Cross Country 6K 2/19/11 - 26:25 Bayou City Classic 10K 3/12/111 - 51:06 (Ran in a centipede of 8) Eikenburg Law Week 8K 3/26/11 - 32:54 (PR)
Bellaire Trolley 5k 4/9/11 - 19:33 (PR) LP Run (# of laps in 33 1/3 minutes) 4/27 - 19 3/4 Laps 4x2 Bayou Bash Relay 4/30 - TBD
Sounds like he has a complete lack of aerobic conditioning. This reminds me of when I first started running: from stoplight to stoplight praying for red. Make him go out EVERY day for 20 minutes, with the eventual goal of running continuously for the entire period. Pace is irrelevant as long as he is running. If he has to stop and catch his breath, then he can walk for 2 minutes. Once a week, go to the track to run 800m, walk 400m, 4 sets with the goal of making those 800m done in less than 4 minutes.
Make sure he has appropriate footwear, such as Brooks Beast.
2012 Goal: 2000 Miles
So I'd probably add in a Tuesday or Saturday 2 miler before increasing that Monday mileage. But realistically you have a month, so not sure how much improvement you can expect, I heard it takes a couple of months for the training effect to kick in. If he can run that 1 X 800 in 4 minutes, he should be able to run 2 miles in 16 minutes.
I mean, it doesn't take extensive experience or a specialized training program to know "I need to run 2 miles in x amount of time to pass my test, what am I going to do?" Get out and run, every day if I need to, and make sure I run fast enough and hard enough to make the cut.
I think he'll just resent you for whatever training program you give him and complain to you, as it seems he does now. Why does he get special treatment? I'm not in the military, so my knowledge here is limited, but do other cadets get special training if they can't pass other tests? Do you spend extra time teaching someone how to do x, y or z if they know how, but just complain about how hard it is, or take too long or do a sloppy job? I don't think running deserves any special attention. What about the spindly cadet who blows the 2 miles out of the water, but struggles to complete his push ups in time or in proper form, will he get a specialized upper body training program to make sure he passes? I think not. Again, this is simply my naive perspective.
Sounds like he needs an attitude adjustment, not a training plan.
2011: Just run.
I love the plan of getting him out there as often as possible. Not a fan of the Beast unless he's rolling all the way in onto his ankles. The shoe is just so stiff that it keeps your foot from bending. I'd seriously rather run in combat boots than the Beast.
MoBramExam
Skeeter -- i am a former military officer and i started running while i was in ROTC and could barely pass the run in the PT test.... I started going to the PT field every day and started running 1 mile....then slowly added to it and rarely missed.........i passed (very nicely) my run and PT test and was commissioned.
If he doesnt have the drive to do it on his own (and then accept assistance from you only after he is self motiated) then is he the kind of officer we want leading troops....(he should be leading by example).
Let him fail, the Army doesnt need him, there are plenty of motivated young people that would be better....
He knows the standard, and if he doesnt work to exceed the standard then he isn't worthy of a commission...
You have more important thing to do with your time -- I think if i were you, Id give him your plan and a copy it to the COL and go about your business........
Champions are made when no one is watching
Thanks happyfeet (when did you change your sn? lol). I understand it's not really realistic to improve too much, but I think even if he ran 10 miles/week he could easily pass the 2 miler. I just want to get him out and run, I dont even care about track workouts too much. Maybe more 2-3 mile fartleks? I think that would be beneficial...
Now the other hard question, how do you make someone do something they don't want to do? Because I am not going to run with him every day...(Yeah, that's a rhetorical question lol!) Well, I'm going to talk to the colonel and see if does expect me to run with him every time because if so, I may be back asking for more sock and live ammo tips haha!
Now the other hard question, how do you make someone do something they don't want to do?
I've never served in the military, so this comes from ignorance. But I would have thought that the Army would be one place where you don't have to deal with this. Life is certainly not easy, but it's simple. Do, or don't and face the consequences.
mr train you are a pain, your words - they make me go insane
they strike my ever-thinking brain like little drops of acid rain
oh, to my life you are a bane; crazy, mixed up, mr train - r2e
mileage hound
Short of live ammo (or his believe that your weapon contains it) or the sock and soap, you CAN'T. Do what the Colonel tells you, but when you are 1:1 with the cadet tell him its HIS decision, he either wants in and will do what he needs to or he can try not to let the door hit him on the way out.
2012 goals: Fastest race times since 2006.
is this the guy?
CPT Curmudgeon
Heh. How do you motivate a person that doesn't want to be motivated....
I am assuming he's not under contract right now. If he were, I would explain to him the very real possibility of losing his contract and what would happen if he did (namely, he's gotta either start writing checks to pay back the money, or he can go the enlisted route).
Anyway, I'd tell him he needs to have a serious conversation with himself about what he wants out of life. The military is not for everyone, and being an officer is an ever greater commitment on many levels. Chances are, he's going to end up AD, and he's going to go somewhere overseas right quick and in a hurry. If he has any doubts whatsoever, he owes to himself and his future Soldiers to really, seriously, think about what he wants to do.
If he wants to be an officer, then you tell him that he needs to be a G-D officer, get off his lazy ass and start acting like a f***ing adult. Play time is now officially over, and it is his DUTY to get his slovenly ass into fighting shape. He owes to himself, and he damn well owes it to the men and women that will be relying on him in combat. We all have to do things in life we don't like, but we do it because we said we would. He needs to get over his dislike of running and starting loving the s**t out of it, because he can expect to do a lot of it over the next 6 years. Tell him if he doesn't, he's gonna get ground up and spit out real fast, and running a couple miles is gonna be the least of his G-D worries. His troops are gonna laugh at his sorry ass when he's out trying to lead a run and can't do it. It's time to cowboy the f*** up.
he's said the guy isn't all that fat... just not built to run well. but hell, I'm age 40, 200+ pounds and I could probably run a 2 mile in about 12:00. 16:00? piece of cake if you work at it for a while.
tell the dude he needs to learn to overcome his weakness or he'll always be weak. if not then it's no loss to the army.
that will probably work. it's easy to bitch about something you don't like to do. and you become even worse at that aspect of life. but I would hope a guy entering the army would take proper offense to such an afront as being told he's weak and then would do something about it. if not then he's not worth having in the army.
ass out the door, run until you have to walk, then run when your heart rate slows. he knows what to do.
2012 goal = 4:59 for 1,500 meters. (before then just get healthy)
Had some personal experience with this as a CTO. I forced continual exercise on a couple of our "fatties" but mixed it up with other exercises. This was camp so they really didn't have much of a choice. Short runs with body work broke up the boredom.
Here's the deal - you ask the Col if he expects you to run with him, he will most likely say yes. So either ask and do, don't ask and stay where you are or take it up a notch. If I'm the CO I would and probably would anyway after you turn in the plan. Put stong with eak to see if you can get weak better.
One other note, I agree with most of the posters that this guy needs to have the drive to push himself to succeed and be there or get the hell out of dodge. That being said, you need to remember that leadership also includes helping people you may not expecially like but rather must help to meet the mission. Mission first - personal second was always my charge to my crews. Didn't mean we didn't have fun but it meant as a leader I had to do lots of shit I didn't like with people I may not like. Its a test of your leadership as well. You're busy and don't have time to babysit but let me tell you from experience it only gets more hectic when you get your commission and head to a squad so learn to deal with this crap now when its in the relative safety of school and ROTC.
I say work out a plan, get approval and then take the initiative to try to get this slug to get out there. If after a week, he won't do it, you will have tried through action. You might figure out what drives this guy or limits him. You may also be able to help him see he's in the wrong business.
Good luck.
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