running schedule to get back to 18min/3mil

[ptjoshpt]

I am looking for a running program to go from terrible shape (not fat just bad cardio and leg strength) to go to 18minutes 3mile.
Basicly in the early spring i pulled my mcl and strained my meniscus in a rugby game, now that my knee is at 100% I feel that I am ready to start running again, but I know that my leg strength and cardiac strength is lacking. I have looked around but found no running schedules or programs for a 18min 3mile, i Ihave heard from people to just do quarter mile sprints, then from others to run long distances at slow paces, im just curious to what you guys think since you all took the PFT.

Thank you for any help you give me

[josephd]

you need to do both sprints and long distance, also one of the things that has helped me out immensely has been the eliptical

Here is my suggestion...Lets start on say a Monday, do around 6-8(or whatever you can handle at first) quarter mile sprints walking in between each for as long as you need to(within reason).
Tuesday off/stretch only.
Wednesday, do a long 3-4 mile jog.
Thursday off/stretch only.
Friday, hit the elliptical for around 15 minutes(as fast of a pace as you can handle) and lift legs. Squats, leg lifts, leg curls, calf raises.
Saturday off/stretch
Sunday off/stretch
Start all over again and try to push yourself a bit more each cycle each week.

One of the biggest things that has helped me with my running is stretching(not right before you run but every day) and drinking water. The better hydrated you are the longer your muscles can go burning oxygen before you start to burn sugars(aka muscle tissue) and your legs start to burn/hurt. Another thing to watch out for is to not over train, yes there is such a thing. You need proper time to recover, heal, rehydrate, stretch and loosen up.

[ptjoshpt]

Thank you for the help, but i dont have access to a ellipitcal right now, should i just run and do those workouts you said?

[ptjoshpt]

I was thinking of actaully doing a 400m allout sprint then walk about 200m to recover then repeat this until my legs are shredded and im dizzy, last night i did this i only got 4 times, but i was very dizzy and felt like i was going to passout.

[josephd]

when it comes to the sprints you could go as long or as short as you want really, just be sure you are putting out a max effort each time in order to break down and build up the leg muscles. If you don't have access to an elliptical don't worry about it, that is just what I use before I lift to get the blood flowing and warm up.

[Baker1971]

son, its not about sprinting. you are not sprinting 3 miles are you? 5k - 3.1 miles.

try one of these http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/141.shtml

http://running.about.com/od/racetrai...rmediate5K.htm

http://www.runningplanet.com/trainin...ermediate.html

http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50...aining-Program

want more? this dude has a lot of stuff http://home.trainingpeaks.com/traini...type.aspx?t=5k

so ya wanna go 18 for 3? ain't that 6 minutes a mile? might want to runb you trakc laps not as fast as you can but betwen a minute and 20 to a minute and 30

[ptjoshpt]

i found this running program today, curious to what you think?

Week ½
o Monday- run 40min @ 10min/mile
o Wednesday- Run 30min @ 10min/mile
o Friday- Run 30min @ 10min/mile
• Week ¾
o Monday-run 44min @ 10min/mile
o Wednesday-run 33min @ 10min/mile
o Friday-run 33min@ 10min/mile
• Week 5/6
o Monday-run 48min @ 10min/mile
o Wednesday-run 36min@ 10min/mile
o Friday- run 36min @ 10min/mile
• Week 7/8
o Monday-run 53min @ 10min/mile
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 10min/mile
o Friday-run 40min @ 10min/mile
• Week 9
o Monday- run 53min @ 9min/mile
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 10min/mile
o Friday- run 40min @ 10min/mile
• Week 10
o Monday-run 53min @ 8.5min/mile
o Tuesday-run 4x 400m sprints in 2minutes
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 8.5min/mile
o Friday-run4 40min@ 8.5min/mile
• Week 11
o Monday-run 53min @8.5min/mile
o Tuesday-run 4x 400m sprints in 2minutes
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 8.5min/mile
o Friday-run 40min @ 8.5min/mile

•
• Week 12
o Monday-run 58min @ 8.5min/mile
o Tuesday-run 5x 400m sprints in 2 minutes( 4minute rest)
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 8.5min/mile
o Friday-run 30min @ 7.5min/mile
• Week 13
o Monday- run 58min @ 8.5min/mile
o Tuesday-run 6x 400m sprints in 2minutes (minute rest)
o Wednesday-run 40min @ 8min/mile
o Friday-run 30min @ 30min/mile
• Week 14
o Monday-run 58min @ 8.5 min/mile
o Tuesday-run 6x 400m sprints in 2minutes (3:30 rest)
o Wednesday- run 40min @ 8min/mile
o Friday-run 30min @ 7min/mile

This i will be doing on treadmills other then the sprints, just to learn how to keep a steady pace i tend to run realy hard and then slow down and do that alot when i run and i think a program like this will help self correct that

[jp2usmc]

That one with the 14-week schedule looks a lot like what marathon runners use to get into shape.

How old are you? Personally, I'm too old for that. I'd break something. I could do my pull-ups and sit-ups, but I never was able to do an 18-minute PFT way back then.

[ptjoshpt]

im 17 atm, and yes i actaully just started it today and it was very hard considering the last time before monday that i ran was early spring, my best 3mile before my injury was only a 18:47 i believe, that was pushing it to the limit tho, back then i used to run no more then 2-3miles tho, i hope with this workout since im running longer distances i will be able to get below that 18 mark, also im doing cross country this year(senior year) and it wil lbe starting just as this 14 week plan ends, and i hope to break my schools 3 mile run record before i go off to the Marines.

Thank you for your responses Marines they were much appreciated and will help me to get back into shape.

[MOS4429]

im 17 atm, and yes i actaully just started it today and it was very hard considering the last time before monday that i ran was early spring, my best 3mile before my injury was only a 18:47 i believe, that was pushing it to the limit tho, back then i used to run no more then 2-3miles tho, i hope with this workout since im running longer distances i will be able to get below that 18 mark, also im doing cross country this year(senior year) and it wil lbe starting just as this 14 week plan ends, and i hope to break my schools 3 mile run record before i go off to the Marines.

Thank you for your responses Marines they were much appreciated and will help me to get back into shape.

I have not posted on this site in over a month, but reading this thread...too much misinformation to let it go, so I am breaking my "code of silence."

First of all, Josh, if you are going to run cross-country, then I don't get it. You should right now be on your coach's summer base building program. And you say that 14-week program you posted will end when cross-country season begins. Nonsense. 14 weeks is October 14. Cross-country practices in schools in your area begin the second or third week of August. So you either have not checked with your school's coach, or you are blowing smoke.

The 14 week program you posted is not a marathon program. It is pretty consistent with an intermediate to advanced level 5k program. However, the paces are marathon or slower pace. That program is pretty pathetic at best, and downright worthless at worst.

Quite frankly, I viewed a few of the links Baker1971 posted, and the programs on those links are better.

You strike me as one who does not have too much running experience. So what is the best thing you can do right now? Today or tomorrow, contact the coach of your school's cross-country team, and get his summer running program. I would be shocked if he does not have one. In fact, any kid who wants to join the Marine Corps and is still in high school, if they want to improve their running, get under a coach and join cross-country, and then in the spring run the distance events in track.

Now, you ran an 18:47 and you want it down to 18:00. Not impossible to do in a season if you do it right. I am not going to post or PM any running programs because you are going to get under your coach's program. I do not want to discourage you, but you should check out your school's 3 mile or 5k records. 18:00 is cross-country is not an incredibly fast time for high school boys. From where I coach, the top kid ran a 15:07. 18 minutes would rank you 73rd. But it is a good goal to strive for.

Now, if you are serious and you are a genuine poster and not a troll, then go see your coach and get with somebody who can bring you along the way you should be.

[MOS4429]

Now...back to my silent mode...

[josephd]

whoa whoa whoa???...I guess I missed some information here, so you are already running 3 miles in under 20 minutes?...To be completely honest you don't need to train to cut down 1 or 2 minutes off your time. I am not a good runner at all but I can cut out a solid minute and a half off my time just by pushing myself and putting out that extra 10% during the PFT. I just did it a few weeks ago. If you are comfortable and have no problems running a 20 minute, push yourself out of that comfort zone and you'll be into the 18-19 minute rang without a porblem

[IHaveEGA843]

Pull ups is where your money is kid.....

[ptjoshpt]

a couple different people to address, first off my school's xcountry program does have a summer thing, but it so happens to conflict with my job that i only have for the summer. and i did have a under 20min 3mile, but like i said it was before my knee injury which was in the early spring. Also to the last guy who said pullups..... well im only 155 so pullups are easy for me so are most bodyweight workouts.

[Lisa 23]

Also to the last guy who said pullups..... well im only 155 so pullups are easy for me so are most bodyweight workouts.

Yes, this does bother me........
The last guy who answered you EARNED the title Marine, how about adressing him as one, or by his user name.