Running Q,for a none runner

[cmillett]

Some of you might have seen me in the PL section,so yes I'm a PLer not a runner.
I have been working as a firefighter for 5yrs,and now I'm about too transfer to another dept (due too political issues).I will have too run 1 1/2 miles for the agility test.Last time I ran was over a mnth or 2 ago.
Like I said I'm a PLer,I'm 5'7" @ 210lbs. (not fat) ,so as you can see I have alot working against me LOL.
I have till the 17th of this mnth too get my time down too 12 mins.
This is what I plan to do too condition my self,
1) I stopped my SQ and DL training till after the 17th.
2) I plan on running every 6th day
3) I will have 3 days of actuall running before the test,so this is my plan,
day 1 of running,run 1/4 mile,speed walk 1/4 mile for a total of 1 1/2 miles
day 2 of running,run 1/2 mile,speed walk 1/4 mile for a total of 1 1/2 miles
day 3 of running,run the 1 1/2

I also plan on taking some antiinflame. for my calfs,they get burnt very easily.

Let me hear some SERIOUS suggestions of knowledge,thanks

[sprintr]

you'll have to basically run 8 min miles, so with that target in mind - start running at an 8 min pace. If you can hop on a running track split the 8 minutes into 400m intervals on the track. Intervals are the way to go, you'll get the best results fastest imo. Basically here's what I would recommend:

Run 400m (1/4 mile, or 1 lap around a regular sized track) at an 8 min pace which should be 2 minutes flat, or 120 seconds for the lap. You can guage your pace at every 100 meters by checking your watch and making sure you hit the 100's in 30 seconds flat. Then rest by walking a lap. You can increase the interval and decrease the rest as your get more fit, I would start like:

4x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap inbetween.

When that feels good, bump it to:

5x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap in between.

next..

6x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap in between.

You can increase the running and decrease the rest as you go on/feel comfortable. I wrote this rather conservatively, but you know your body better than I do. If you have run that speed before, doing intervals will get you back to that quickly, so if that's that case start with 800's gradually making it so that you can put them all back to back without rest, undestand the concept?

[cmillett]

I beleive I understand the concept........basically.

This all looks similar too what i was thinking.
Am I supposed too just walk one lap and run the others > or walk a lap in between the running laps,or just play it by ear ?
4x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap inbetween.

When that feels good, bump it to:

5x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap in between.

next..

6x 400m @ 2 minutes walk one lap in between.

[bpm1]

maybee im dumb about this but why not run the 1 1/2 miles and time it and see where ur at, running eod the whole 1 1/2 miles until ur time gets to where u need to be.iono, why complicate it so much? im not trying to be a smart ass either, just curious why ur going the other route.

[sprintr]

Bpm1: The whole idea is that he needs to work up to it, either way he has to be able to run at that pace for the specified length. So, if he gets out there and it's way too easy, he can double it up or triple it, but by his post I assumed that he needed to work up to it - and this is how it is done in running or other stuff like cycling as well.

Cmillet: Yes, walk one lap in between the bouts of running, run 1 lap, walk one lap etc. Again, if this is way too easy for you, which it might be, try doing 800m with 1 lap walk in between. you could attempt to do 3 x 800 @ 4 minutes per 800( which would be your total distance at the proper pace)

I suggest the first time you go at it, you try doing the 4x400 with the walk in between to see how you feel, if you can do more hit the last 2 laps the same making it 6x400m. Bump it up to however you see fit for the next time - you'll find out where you are pretty quickly after the first session. Basic concept here, you are actually running the full distance but broken up into peices where your body can adapt to it efficiently and effectively without beating yourself up, running has a tendency to do that - it did it to me a few years ago and i still have tendonitis that bothers me a bit from the 16 mile runs i used to do.

if you haven't run in a while, be careful, it can really mess you up if you hit it too hard the first time or 2.

[cmillett]

BTW ,i started running 2 days ago,this is what I did,
400m run,400m speed walk etc. for a total of 1 1/2 miles.I felt good other than my hams and damn calfs,I have alot of fast twitch musle.
I use too make it a habit too run 1nce a wk,but cut it out a mnth ago due too a PL meet I was training for.So thats why I decided too build up too the run.Too condition my slow twitch muscle too handle the run.Thats how i train for PL meets and figured it should work for the run also =)
Thanks for the help sprintr

BTW,what do you think about loading up on ibuprohen or anoher antiinfam. a few days before the run ? I had an ER doc who runs alot tell me that it would help,and that he also would hook me up with 80mg of depo medrol ,if I needed it.

[bpm1]

i hear ya, i guess i assumed he could run the entire distance, even if slow. like i said, just curious, GL bro im sure u'll do fine

[sprintr]

BTW,what do you think about loading up on ibuprohen or anoher antiinfam. a few days before the run ? I had an ER doc who runs alot tell me that it would help,and that he also would hook me up with 80mg of depo medrol ,if I needed it.

Back in the day I was always looking for something that gave me an edge while running, if it wasn't EPO/blood doping or some aa I really don't think anything will work. I think you can do that naturally imo, 8m can be hard for some but it can be done having taken the proper approach.

Let those mucsles recover and then hit it again you can try shortening your rest this time by 100m, just make sure you complete the total distance of your target run with the running part of your intervals, so that you are running the whole thing - just with some breaks in there.

You'll get that back pretty quick I am sure, you probably have a lot of good muscle in there to carry you just fine without any. I think that anyone that is running at their max capacity for 1.5 miles is going to get a nasty calf burn, if anti-e's make that better for you by all means. I was always told that they can't prevent that stuff from happening that they just worked after the fact - but I have no clue about depo.

[cmillett]

Update for ya sprintr,
training went well bro till 5 days out form the agility test.I was running in my field behind the house and stepped in a holw and rolled my ankle.It didnt hurt intially but later that day I ended up going too the ER,The pain got unbareable.Well I ended up tearing the legiment that fans out from your ankle down the top of your foot.The doc told me that the pain is usually alot greater for this than a bone fracture.And I agree ! well 5 days later was the run and I couldnt not just be a no show and gave it hell anyways,The pain was very high too the point of danm near vomiting.Well I missed the run by 6 seconds with the injury,,,,,,Oh well always next year .
BTW thanks for your help !

[sprintr]

Damn! you would have beat it for sure without tearing your ligaments.

That's the thing about running, I always ended up screwing myself up somehow and putting myself out for months on end. I don't get injued racing bicycles via training lots, but I have gotten messed up in crashes tho - those suck! But I guess we all risk injury in any sport that we do (out of neccesity or interest).

What's the prognosis on the ligaments? Are they going to have to button them up or will they heal without surgery? I have heard that hGH helps that stuff heal like mad.

[sphincter]

wow, I have to say congrats on the effort of running with the injury. I am/was a long distance runner and the approach sprintr gave you was a damned fine setup to get you up to snuff on the test. I was going to chime in with my $.02 but since this is already passed, I can only add: good luck next year and good luck with the politics that led to you needing to change depts.

[cmillett]

Damn! you would have beat it for sure without tearing your ligaments.

That's the thing about running, I always ended up screwing myself up somehow and putting myself out for months on end. I don't get injued racing bicycles via training lots, but I have gotten messed up in crashes tho - those suck! But I guess we all risk injury in any sport that we do (out of neccesity or interest).

What's the prognosis on the ligaments? Are they going to have to button them up or will they heal without surgery? I have heard that hGH helps that stuff heal like mad.

Thanks for all the help brotha !

The Doc said It shoul heal on its on since it was noy a complete tear.But I can say since the injury my ROM is limited now.Pressing my foot down isnt the issue ,but trying too angle my foot upwards is limited and uncomfortable.The Doc also said it would be several mnths before I would be completely rehabed.
I have had great luck using IGF for rahabing similar injurys.

[cmillett]

wow, I have to say congrats on the effort of running with the injury. I am/was a long distance runner and the approach sprintr gave you was a damned fine setup to get you up to snuff on the test. I was going to chime in with my $.02 but since this is already passed, I can only add: good luck next year and good luck with the politics that led to you needing to change depts.

thanks for the support bro

I dont think I'll be trying out for another dept for a while.The reason is that I'll be leaving fpr Iraq after the 1st of the yr.I'll be going in as a FF/EMT for on base support too the military,BIG $$$$

[sprintr]

Hope you don't have to run for your life over there!