Endurance

[DaveXIII90]

Well, today I timed myself on a quarter mile run, without stopping or slowing down. I cleared it in 2 and a half minutes. I have aways been able to run fast, but I have also always had a problem working on my endurance. I clear a quarter mile in 2 and a half minutes, but after I clear the 1/4 mile, I cant continue... I really need to know some very good methods for working on endurance. If it matters, I weigh about 138 pounds, and I am 66 inches tall. I have a high metabolism; but about the metabolism: I have been eating alot of foods high in protein, calcium, and low in saturated fats since last week. I will keep my eating habits like that in order to gain the appropriate muscle mass and account for the weight and calories being burned by doing daily excersises. I really, really need help to get my endurance up.

[Zulu 36]

Your quarter-mile speed isn't really that fast. 2.5 minutes per 440 equals a 10-minute mile. Are you sure it was a 1/4-mile and are you sure of the time if it was a 1/4-mile?

[DaveXIII90]

Yes I am sure about the distance and time. On the flip side, I have not even jogged since at LEAST two years ago. I know my time sucks; I just need to know how to make a significant impact on my endurance.....I know I can do it, but I need to know what methods I should use for the best results, being that I am pretty much starting from scratch.

[Zulu 36]

Just keep going. Push yourself. Ya' gotta want. Make a goal of going at least 100 - 150 yards further each run session (every other day). After you get some distance under your belt (a mile or so), you can start pushing yourself to go faster.

I was never a fast runner, but I could go a long way at my pace, about 8 minute miles on average. I was tickled pink if I did 7.5 minute miles.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You have a lot of work to do. You need to hit the road and run. When you're done run some more. When you're done with that, may as well go for a run. At a 150 second quarter mile you're looking at a 30 minute PFT or 15 minute IST. Those numbers are too slow to be acceptable. The only way you can run better is to run. So, rather than reading this- you should be running.

[DaveXIII90]

I am planning on running the track at my school every other day this summer. Sound good? or should I do it every day?

[DaveXIII90]

Oh yeah I am going to jog to school tommorow, which is about a mile or a little over a mile from my house. I might ride my bike depending on traffic conditions and/or weather, but either way theres a lot of uphill areas so bike or not, i should get some good excersise. Does that sound good as well?

[semperfi170]

I suggest varying your distance each day and taking off one day a week! If you can run twice a day that would help even more. Make sure you do warm-up and stretching exercises before any running. An example might be that three days you total 8 to 10 miles each day and three days you do 5 miles each day. So in the a.m. one day you 2 miles and in the p.m. you do 3 miles. The next day you do 4 miles in the a.m. and 5 miles in the evening.

You need to build up to this, but also the way to build endurance is to accomplish runs longer than the distance for the test. Also you need to do some speed training. Get with a local run club or see your schools cross country coach for help.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Start off running every other day. After a couple of weeks, increase the number of days. Run two and take one off. Then run all but one day a week. The Gunny is dead on about talking to a running club or coach in your area. But one thing is for sure. You have to run.