How to get run time down for Boot Camp?

[Silverain]

Try swimming laps, and swimming properly ...

That's the best cardiovascular workout there is... it will increase your upper body breathing as well..

Really? I didn't know that. Once again, thank you all for the helpful advice.

[cubawatcher]

If you're only 16 you've got a longtime to improve your run time.Your body isn't any where near it's potential at 16.Keep running,go out for cross country get super competitive,enter 10k runs,try a marathon,talk to local recruiters.The ones that come to the high school I work at do regular training with lots of kids still to young to enlist but that are interested.You'll learn a hell of a lot that way also.Best of luck.

[Silverain]

If you're only 16 you've got a longtime to improve your run time.Your body isn't any where near it's potential at 16.Keep running,go out for cross country get super competitive,enter 10k runs,try a marathon,talk to local recruiters.The ones that come to the high school I work at do regular training with lots of kids still to young to enlist but that are interested.You'll learn a hell of a lot that way also.Best of luck.

Sounds interesting, I will have to look more into that. Thanks.

[MOS4429]

I am currently 16 years of age...My biggest concern is that my current mile time is around 9 minutes, (it was 8:20 a couple months ago but it is going down). I also am concerned that I won't be able to reach the 3 mile point by the time I enlist. Can anybody give any tips on running in general to increase time or distance, and maybe even breathing? I can't seem to run more than a mile without my throat drying out and my lungs burning.

Without going into the science of it, you experience what you experience as a result of an inadequate aerobic base. If you after running a mile at the pace you mentioned feel burning in the lungs, you will need to increase your endurance. Second, the dryness in your throat is most likely because you are not adequately hydrated. You need to drink 4 to 5 one litre bottles of water a day - plain and simple.

In my 10 plus years coaching cross-country, track, and swimming, I have seen your situation many times. Your mile time is slow, you need to run more than a mile, but you can barely do a mile, so how can you do more?

It will take time. I am currently helping 3 or 4 poolees with this. Some are more challenging because they have time limitations, and their aerobic base and running history is weak. When I get a new kid that has not run much before, it takes 2 years to build up his/her aerobic capacity to be a competitive runner. Now, in that two years they can get faster, endurance stronger, but to be competitive, it takes time.

I have read through all the posts. One of them recommend to run 10 x 100m all out to build your VO2max. I wholeheartedly disagree with this. VO2Max is the measurement of your ability to process oxygen. Running 100m sprints will not help you with this. To build your VO2 max, there are three ways to do it: 1. Lose weight. Not the best because it could compromise health (unless you need to lose weight.) 2. Running more miles a week. 3. Run lactate threshold and speed work. This will increase speed, but not endurance. (The speed work is like 200m repeats at 800-1600m pace, 400m repeats at 1600 to 3200 pace.) Running 100m all out is anaerobic work, and eventually that type of running will break you down.

Another recommending swimming. That is good advice. Swimming, in addition to running, is awesome aerobic work, and we use it a lot for cross-training.

Another recommended you are only 16, join the cross-country team. That is also excellent advice. I would take it farther. Ruben Ayala has a good xc program. They were 8th in the state this past November. Go contact Coach Stabb or whoever the "DISTANCE" track coach is and join the track team. It is not too late. I assume you are a junior, and running distance track season, xc season, and another track will REALLY benefit your running.

For your breathing, when running easy pace, inhale about every 3 steps, and exhale ever 3 steps. That's steps, as in right foot, left, right. When running quicker, inhale every 2, exhale every 2. Pacing, roughtly speaking, should be 180 steps a minute. That is, for example, 15 right foot strikes in 10 seconds. 15 x 6 = 90 doubled = 180.

So when I get new kids, like this past xc season, I started him out running 3 days a week, 2 weeks later up to 4, then 5, and eventually up to 6 days a week. I start him out running 10 minute at a time and progressively build up to by the end of the season he is able to do a 60 minute run.

In your situation, you need to run at a steady pace and build it up. If you cannot run more than a mile, then you run less, walk, repeat. For instance, you run 5 minutes, walk a minute, run 5 minutes, walk a minute, run 5 and it progressively builds. This is a good method to increase up to 30 minute runs. Once a person does that, then it is revamped and walks are eliminated, intervals, tempos, and fartleks are added into the program.

If I were coaching you, I would tell you to forget about your mile time. It doesn't matter right now. I would put you on a progressive running program that is focused on aerobic running with an emphasis on running form, mechanics, breathing, and pacing. Eventually I would switch you to a program that involved intervals, tempos, and fartleks. This will not only build your VO2 max, but more importantly your vVo2 max, specifically lactate threshold.

If you want more information, how to get started on a running program, PM me. But I highly recommend you join the track team and don't run sprints, but distance: 800, 1600, 3200s.

[Silverain]

Without going into the science of it, you experience what you experience as a result of an inadequate aerobic base. If you after running a mile at the pace you mentioned feel burning in the lungs, you will need to increase your endurance. Second, the dryness in your throat is most likely because you are not adequately hydrated. You need to drink 4 to 5 one litre bottles of water a day - plain and simple.

In my 10 plus years coaching cross-country, track, and swimming, I have seen your situation many times. Your mile time is slow, you need to run more than a mile, but you can barely do a mile, so how can you do more?

It will take time. I am currently helping 3 or 4 poolees with this. Some are more challenging because they have time limitations, and their aerobic base and running history is weak. When I get a new kid that has not run much before, it takes 2 years to build up his/her aerobic capacity to be a competitive runner. Now, in that two years they can get faster, endurance stronger, but to be competitive, it takes time.

I have read through all the posts. One of them recommend to run 10 x 100m all out to build your VO2max. I wholeheartedly disagree with this. VO2Max is the measurement of your ability to process oxygen. Running 100m sprints will not help you with this. To build your VO2 max, there are three ways to do it: 1. Lose weight. Not the best because it could compromise health (unless you need to lose weight.) 2. Running more miles a week. 3. Run lactate threshold and speed work. This will increase speed, but not endurance. (The speed work is like 200m repeats at 800-1600m pace, 400m repeats at 1600 to 3200 pace.) Running 100m all out is anaerobic work, and eventually that type of running will break you down.

Another recommending swimming. That is good advice. Swimming, in addition to running, is awesome aerobic work, and we use it a lot for cross-training.

Another recommended you are only 16, join the cross-country team. That is also excellent advice. I would take it farther. Ruben Ayala has a good xc program. They were 8th in the state this past November. Go contact Coach Stabb or whoever the "DISTANCE" track coach is and join the track team. It is not too late. I assume you are a junior, and running distance track season, xc season, and another track will REALLY benefit your running.

For your breathing, when running easy pace, inhale about every 3 steps, and exhale ever 3 steps. That's steps, as in right foot, left, right. When running quicker, inhale every 2, exhale every 2. Pacing, roughtly speaking, should be 180 steps a minute. That is, for example, 15 right foot strikes in 10 seconds. 15 x 6 = 90 doubled = 180.

So when I get new kids, like this past xc season, I started him out running 3 days a week, 2 weeks later up to 4, then 5, and eventually up to 6 days a week. I start him out running 10 minute at a time and progressively build up to by the end of the season he is able to do a 60 minute run.

In your situation, you need to run at a steady pace and build it up. If you cannot run more than a mile, then you run less, walk, repeat. For instance, you run 5 minutes, walk a minute, run 5 minutes, walk a minute, run 5 and it progressively builds. This is a good method to increase up to 30 minute runs. Once a person does that, then it is revamped and walks are eliminated, intervals, tempos, and fartleks are added into the program.

If I were coaching you, I would tell you to forget about your mile time. It doesn't matter right now. I would put you on a progressive running program that is focused on aerobic running with an emphasis on running form, mechanics, breathing, and pacing. Eventually I would switch you to a program that involved intervals, tempos, and fartleks. This will not only build your VO2 max, but more importantly your vVo2 max, specifically lactate threshold.

If you want more information, how to get started on a running program, PM me. But I highly recommend you join the track team and don't run sprints, but distance: 800, 1600, 3200s.

Wow that is the most detailed and helpful advice I have received on the topic, which is very much appreciated. I would like to do long distance, (I did try this last year), but they commonly do around 6 mile runs. It felt terrible walking most of the way and getting back so late while everybody else had been done for quite a while. I know I could run the 800 and maybe the 1600 (I think that is more or less a mile). Anyway thanks so much for the help and I will be sure to PM you if I have any more questions regarding this.

[MOS4429]

Wow that is the most detailed and helpful advice I have received on the topic, which is very much appreciated. I would like to do long distance, (I did try this last year), but they commonly do around 6 mile runs. It felt terrible walking most of the way and getting back so late while everybody else had been done for quite a while. I know I could run the 800 and maybe the 1600 (I think that is more or less a mile). Anyway thanks so much for the help and I will be sure to PM you if I have any more questions regarding this.

You are correct, when they start out, they most likely start out by building their aerobic base, and that will involved runs that are long, so it is hard if you are not there yet. I would think they would train at different levels, but maybe not.

Alternatively, you could join and run the fast stuff, such as 400s, 200s and train for that, but it won't give you the type of training you really need, which is to build your endurance and speed endurance.

Some schools have swim teams and most have their season in the spring. That would be a good alternative, too, because you need aerobic conditioning.


Again, if you want a program, PM me.

[acg8276]

If your not already a member, join the wrestling team. In my area they have year around training, clinics etc. All kinds of good PT there. Plenty of running too.

[Silverain]

If your not already a member, join the wrestling team. In my area they have year around training, clinics etc. All kinds of good PT there. Plenty of running too.

Yes my friend is in wrestling and told me the same thing. I got so caught up in adjusting to a new school that I completely forgot to look into when wrestling started. What do you mean that your "area" has year around training? Like a MMA gym or something?

[acg8276]

Yes my friend is in wrestling and told me the same thing. I got so caught up in adjusting to a new school that I completely forgot to look into when wrestling started. What do you mean that your "area" has year around training? Like a MMA gym or something?

It is a wrestling club. Most of the school coaches work with the club. It's not 365 but they have camps and training sessions year around. The local school is really into the wrestling program. Your idea of an MMA gym sounds like a good option as well.

[Silverain]

It is a wrestling club. Most of the school coaches work with the club. It's not 365 but they have camps and training sessions year around. The local school is really into the wrestling program. Your idea of an MMA gym sounds like a good option as well.

Oh yea I see what you mean. I'll have to look into that soon.