Forums >Running 101>Out of shape runner needs help for a 5 week deadline
Hello all and thank you for taking the time to read this. I have been research a ton of different websites and testimonials, but was hoping to get some advice and realism from avid current runners.
I am a 38 year old male, sort of husky or chubby. My pants size run between 36-38 and shirts XL or so. I don't weight myself since I started dieting(keto), so that is the best I can give. I been doing keto for about 5 weeks now. Hopefully this is enough background.
I recently found out the job I am applying for requires a physical test. The test requirements for my age are a 1.5 mile in 12 minutes 12 seconds and a 500 meter row at 1 minute 48 seconds. I asked for a later test date (now I have to be ready on March 11th).
I was able to do the row with no issue, but with the running I am having major difficulties. I plan to row every other day just to get better and increase stamina and endurance, but I am having major issues with the running. I don't know if 5 weeks is enough time for going to cant run to running in the top 70th percentile.
My first day "training" I jogged what I could, caught my breath, jogged, caught my breath. I was not keeping track of anything because I just wanted to get my body going. My second day is when I tested myself. Being fully rested I ran 1/4 mile. This was....horrible. By the end of it, I was huffy and puffing. According to my watch I ran it in 2 minutes 6 seconds, which roughly puts me only 24 seconds over my goal. So I need speed but not as much as I need endurance and stamina. Each day since I read different programs and tried, but I don't know if it is working nor if I will make my cut off. I made my diet more strict, to where now I am only eating 1/2 pound meat and 2 cups of veggies twice a day, and no diet soda nor energy drinks.
So back to my question and reason for post.
1) Is it possible and probable to be able to run a 1.5 miles in 12 minutes for a 38 year old man not currently able to run with about 5 weeks of training? (I am going to try regardless, but I want to know what the realistic expectations are.)
2) Should I change my diet
3) What is the best thing to do to condition and train for this?
It is my dream job, I decided to apply after my mom passing away, so any and all help, routines, comments are welcomed
Signed
Eager late in life hopeful police cadet
Mother of Cats
Hi - it's a stretch. 1.5 miles in 12 minutes is 8 minute pace - you should be able to get there, but I'm not sure you have enough time with 5 weeks. And I'm also concerned that you'll get hurt trying to crash load training between now and then.
Diet is very individual, and I tend to be more protein and fat focused than other runners. At the same time, you need some carbs, and you're getting very little right now. I would test introducing some complex, healthy carbs like brown rice into your diet - that might improve your performance enough that your goal would become feasible
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Get out there every other day for 30 mi utes doing walk run. Like jog 2 min (not sprint), walk 1 min throughout 30 minutes. Do a full 30 even if you have to walk more. You simply cannot run every day or you will get hurt. I am afraid 5 weeks is not enough time. If you were extremely fit for rowing or biking and had a strong aerobic engine this would help. Also being thin/light woould help. The issue is both not being in overall cardio shape and not being in running shape which includes dealing with the pounding of running. This improvement process usually takes months not weeks. Just being more efficient with your form and neuromuscular adaptations by running more will be most of your gains early on. Do your best and hope they will allow a retest if you can't do it.
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unless you have to do them back to back, I would cut back on the rowing if you are pretty sure you will be able to do it. I would work on improving your diet because it is important and there is only so much training is going to do for you in 5 weeks. It isn't like studying for a test where you can just cram the night before. Really, it is at most 4 weeks that you have to train and one week to get your body ready. So if you can lose a couple pounds the right way (not by starving, which will take away strength) that will help you on the run.
First, get yourself moving! Don't worry about speed yet. Everybody huffs and puffs after running 400 meters. Spend about a week and a half just getting out to run as much as you can, slow as needed to get through. If you want to go harder to gain some speed, take a spin class or something like that.
After that, start adding in some speed. Running up hills is a great way to build strength.
Weeks 3 and 4, do some speed work. If the test is going to be on track, try 400s and 800s. Run them slightly faster than goal pace. Not ever day, maybe once or twice a week.
Week 5, the hay is in the barn as they say. Keep running, even a couple days before do some speed work (less than you have been doing). Focus on keeping your body moving. Eat well and get some rest.
Best of luck!
You received all perfect advice here.
To back what others have said:
- Try to be consistent but don't overdo it on any one day.
- You don't need speed. You need aerobic development.
- Lose weight but not by starving. By making good diet choices.
- Fuel your runs with carbs. I can write a book about why. Trust me, you don't need them but you do if you want to run fast.
Based on advice I got in another thread (https://www.runningahead.com/forums/post/bfc422d01a2448a3a2100bb8c2007faf#focus), I recommend doing some kind of cardio activity on most days to get the maximum training effect. I'd cut back on the rowing and do cycling or elliptical instead at the gym. 30 minutes at an easy pace where you can still hold conversations is well enough to get aerobic benefits that will help you with the running time. If it ever starts to feel effortless and you feel well-rested, you can increase it to 40 minutes (but no need to increase the perceived effort level!). Once every now and then you can also go for a fast walk for 45 mins or 1h instead of doing cardio, but since it also puts strain on your legs, I'd probably do that only rarely (less risky if you find a soft surface to walk on).
I'd be very careful with the amount of actual running because it might easily be too much for your joints. Maybe get well-cushioned running shoes immediately (e.g., Hoka) and/or try to find a running track made out of wood chips (might be worth driving there every second day even when it's far away). I like the advice of combining running and walking for 30 minutes and only doing that every second day. On the non-run days, you could do some other type of cardio that's easy on your joints. At least once per week and probably twice when you're new to it, I would definitely throw in a day where you rest completely.
Toward the end of the training, you can start to run the 30 minutes in one go without walking, but at first I'd continue to do run-walk-run even a bit longer than the minimum simply to take it easy on the joints.
Very hard to assess whether some fast-paced training will be useful. Probably you won't get a lot of benefits from it on such short notice, and the risk of injury is large. OTOH, psychologically it probably makes a big difference if you know you've done some training at the right pace. Maybe if I were in your shoes, I'd try the following: For the first 1-2 weeks, don't worry about speed at all and just focus on doing run-walk-run and more cardio. 24 days before the test, run 3x 200m repeats ever-so-slightly faster than your goal pace to get a sense for the speed that you'll need. Make sure to recover completely between repeats (e.g., fine to walk a full lap).
19 days before the test, run 4x 400m repeats at your goal pace. Make sure to be recovered enough to meet the pace.
9 days before the test, run 3x 800m repeats at your goal pace. Make sure to be recovered enough to meet the pace, but don't worry if you can't quite do it because this one will be very hard.
Take it very easy in the 5-7 days before the race, with several complete rest days and only easy workouts when you do do something.
On race day, don't forget the warmup. Try to stay within 10 seconds of the goal pace for the first 1200m (fine if you're slightly slower at first because it'll look more impressive if you can catch up toward the end) and once your at that point, try to go into superman mode and hope for a miracle.
Maybe bring your favorite ice-cooled beverage. This way, you know you can give your all for the 12mins and 12 seconds. And maybe ask if you can do running first so you're not a bit exhausted already from rowing. I don't know much about nutrition but I'd be very careful with trying out new things or continuing to do kind of risky things like an intense keto diet. Probably worth playing it safe!
Hell everyone!
Thank you for the advice. I’m trying to incorporate all I can to improve. I’m almost 4 weeks away, and wanted to update my progress. As of today I was able to jog .75 miles in 8 minutes 7 seconds. So I feel I’m on a good start for stamina. After than I walked about 400 m, then started jogging 130m (total long stretch of the field) and walked 70m (the curve of the track) to make a full 30 minute workout. After that I walked a half mile to cool down.
i also changed my diet. I started eating carbs, not much. Just oatmeal and a banana.
again any/all advise is welcomed. I used to be athletic a few years ago before my mom passed, so maybe muscle memory is helping me.
Thank you!
Nice job on the progress so far.
If you plan to do a time trial again (maybe in a week), may I suggest a thorough warmup, maybe do just what you did after the .75 mile jog, i.e. Jog the straights, walk the curves of the track, for 3-4 laps, take a few of minutes to loosen up further, by doing some dynamic stretches like butt kicks, High knees, etc youtube has many videos on how to do these (example - Dynamic Running Warmup) .
Then line up at the start and imagine yourself in a race, start your watch and start running. Don't take off at your fastest pace, but a bit faster than your normal run. Don't panic if you get winded after one lap, it does not get any worse than that, focus on just completing the current lap. The third lap (if you are running 4) will be the hardest mentally, stay with it. See how long can you keep up, aiming for at least 4 laps and see if you can complete all 6 (1.5 miles) then check your watch, not before, you might surprise yourself.
Cool down by run-walking another mile or two