Three Weeks Until 1.5 Mile Test...Tips?

[SexyMahnaz]

Given your circumstances I'd stay away from max efforts & try build in volume via plenty of LISS sessions (120 - 140ish HR, 30+ mins, even if that means a brisk walk), with a few decent, but not all out (75-85%, if your body can handle it) efforts @ the 1.5 mile sprinkled through that 3 week period to get a feel for how you should pace it.

 

[mike sherry]

Three miles a day run/walk... "Insane volume?" That's a little dramatic.

hes a detrained 280 lber. yes, it is a lot of volume.


my friend that weighs around that much suffered a fractured foot from running and he was definitely not running as far as the recommendations here

 

[Genghiz]

If you had more time I'd recommend Tactical Barbell's Base Building template. Since you don't, try something like this instead.

Every Week:
1 x LISS (45-60 mins)
1 x 3 mile tempo run (for speed)
1 x hill sprints or 400m sprint session

Keep the LISS in the 130-150bpm. On sprint day do at least 5-10 hill sprints at max intensity, or 6 x 400s at max speed if you go that route. Make sure you stretch/warmup.

I don't know that you'll get substantial improvements in just 3 weeks, but it's better than nothing for the time you have.

 

[Cmart]

hes a detrained 280 lber. yes, it is a lot of volume.


my friend that weighs around that much suffered a fractured foot from running and he was definitely not running as far as the recommendations here

Ok. Make your suggestion for getting him in shape, in three weeks, to run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes to save his job.

 

[mike sherry]

Ok. Make your suggestion for getting him in shape, in three weeks, to run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes to save his job.

Lol?

run maybe once or twice a week, every other day spent on the elliptical.

 

[Cmart]

Lol?

run maybe once or twice a week, every other day spent on the elliptical.

It's funny?

The elliptical trains you to do the elliptical. Good luck on the road after doing most of your work on that thing. He might as well swim.

 

[mike sherry]

It's funny?

The elliptical trains you to do the elliptical. Good luck on the road after doing most of your work on that thing. He might as well swim.

yeah, i found it quite humorous that your retort to the claim a detrained heavy person really needs to watch their volume was essentially 'what would you recommend so i can try and shit on it'

 

[Cmart]

yeah, i found it quite humorous that your retort to the claim a detrained heavy person really needs to watch their volume was essentially 'what would you recommend so i can try and shit on it'

It was hardly worth shitting on, to be honest. And gee, after you were so realistic and complimentary about my advice, shame on me.

This is a thing about forums/debates -- that when you come in and shit on ideas, you are sometimes called upon to present your own. Finding that funny is a bit ironic.

 

[mike sherry]

It was hardly worth shitting on, to be honest. And gee, after you were so realistic and complimentary about my advice, shame on me.

This is a thing about forums/debates -- that when you come in and shit on ideas, you are sometimes called upon to present your own. Finding that funny is a bit ironic.

I never even quoted you. no need to be so sensitive. the OP was already speaking about ankle issues - pointing out that such heavy volume compacted into a few weeks can cause a stress fracture is, well, obvious. is it not a concern?

 

[Cmart]

I never even quoted you. no need to be so sensitive. the OP was already speaking about ankle issues - pointing out that such heavy volume compacted into a few weeks can cause a stress fracture is, well, obvious. is it not a concern?

Know what's even more obvious? That the guy is overweight and that his career depends on him running 1.5 miles in 3 weeks.

The risk of a stress fracture is outweighed by the certain problem that he'll face if he fails the run. In the second-worst-case scenario of a training injury, he might even buy time to take the test later (not that this is the strategy -- it's just a possibility).

 

[PCP319]

If it matters, at least more days than not per week, I think I could handle two sessions per day.

Also, switched up my powerlifting style workouts with more short rest bodybuilding style workouts. No more singles. Plenty of rest pause on my last sets.

 

[Cmart]

If it matters, at least more days than not per week, I think I could handle two sessions per day.

Also, switched up my powerlifting style workouts with more short rest bodybuilding style workouts. No more singles. Plenty of rest pause on my last sets.

As much as it pains me to say it, I think you might want to put lifting on hold during this time and focus on your cardio.

 

[DoomPatrol]

If it matters, at least more days than not per week, I think I could handle two sessions per day.

Also, switched up my powerlifting style workouts with more short rest bodybuilding style workouts. No more singles. Plenty of rest pause on my last sets.

I don't think switching to a bodybuilding style workout will help your run at all. I would recommend that you keep doing the same type of weight training, but make changes in your diet and your cardio.

For one, you need to drop weight. You're fat. It's that simple. You need to cut out all sugars, fried food, and cut back hard on breads and pastas. Your cardio will go up quick for every pound you drop. It's hard to run with that weight on you just as it gets harder to do pullups as you gain weight. So you have just under a month to drop that weight, which you can easily do. What I would recommend though, is that you cut back to 2x a week instead of 3x a week since you are in crisis mode.

As far as your run goes, a 1.5 mile is pretty easy to train for. Stop worrying about the injury crap. You're not going to break an ankle or get shin splints from such a short run. I would run 3x a week and do a different type of run each day.

This is how I trained for my USMC PFT and got to a 16 minute 3 mile from nothing....

Session A
Moderate pace (light jog) - 2 miles; Keep a nice steady pace. Nothing breakneck, but move your feet faster than a walking pace. Keep track of the time it takes you. If you have to stop and rest, that's fine. You want to decrease the time each week.

Session B
Slow pace (walking) - 1 hour for distance. Walk out 30 minutes and walk back in same time. Make sure you log the distance. Each week, you want to increase the distance by as much as you can. Focus on long strides, good form and breathing.

Session C
Fast pace ("sprinting") - 10 sprints for 10 seconds each. It doesn't matter the distance. Rest at least 5 minutes in between each sprint. You're trying to really push it, but don't go 100% effort. Sprints are really taxing on your body and can cause injury. So you want to be moving, but don't act like you're on a track.


With just three weeks to train, you're not going to have amazing breakthroughs in your time, but I think a program like I wrote up would easily help you prepare for a 1.5 mile run and pass with flying colors.

 

[pliftkl]

OP - how fast can you walk 1.5 miles? That might at least give you some sense of how hard you can push it, without actually pounding on your feet...

 

[PCP319]

For what it's worth, I should mention that I'm not doing bodybuilding style workouts to get big, but rather burn more calories without sacrificing my muscle. I'll still be on a deficit

 

[Cmart]

For what it's worth, I should mention that I'm not doing bodybuilding style workouts to get big, but rather burn more calories without sacrificing my muscle. I'll still be on a deficit

How's the running going? What are your times so far?

 

[Dan O]

Do you ride a desk?

 

[PCP319]

How's the running going? What are your times so far?

Alright, but definitely needs improvement. Having trouble keeping up the pace consistently without walking intervals.

Going to keep dieting, running, stretching, and squatting,

 

[Lord Commander Palis]

It's funny?

The elliptical trains you to do the elliptical. Good luck on the road after doing most of your work on that thing. He might as well swim.

It is a good point though. The elliptical is a lot easier on the body and it's still cardio. Crank that sombitch up and go at it. The dude needs to get cardio work in, he needs to sweat and do it every day and doing that or even like swimming will be WAY easier on his body than running.

 

[Cmart]

It is a good point though. The elliptical is a lot easier on the body and it's still cardio. Crank that sombitch up and go at it. The dude needs to get cardio work in, he needs to sweat and do it every day and doing that or even like swimming will be WAY easier on his body than running.

He can do my patented workout where we roll him up in a rug and he struggles for fourteen minutes if he wants. Specificity helps most. He has a run to do, and running (or again, run/walk as the case may be) is the best training for a run.