Improvement...

[MarkBunt]

Ive been training 5weeks on wednesday whilst noticing improvment in my 1.5mile its no big thng as you can tell in my signature there my scores.. should i be looked at changing my routine abit or keeping sticking at what im doing?

Also my right shin.. there was a lump which has gone.. but theres still a pain but its bearable and i can run with it.. i put deepheat on it twice a day.. could it be shin splints or just me getting used to the training .. ?

[AJtothemax]

Ive been training 5weeks on wednesday whilst noticing improvment in my 1.5mile its no big thng as you can tell in my signature there my scores.. should i be looked at changing my routine abit or keeping sticking at what im doing?

Also my right shin.. there was a lump which has gone.. but theres still a pain but its bearable and i can run with it.. i put deepheat on it twice a day.. could it be shin splints or just me getting used to the training .. ?

Yes. Start upping the tempo mate. Run quicker and do longer runs. Aim for more press-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups. Again as i have said, start increasing the workload otherwise you just wont get better, simple as that.

With regards to your lump - go and see a doctor. Too many lads are coming on here and asking what it could be on here first before they go to the docs. Please go to the doctors ok, then come back on here and describe what happened if you feel like. Always seek professional help first ok. What the hell do we on here know about it all?? Im willing to bet not much.
Thats about the most sound advice i can give on that. Also, refrain from using deep heat because you dont know what it is do you. If its a circulatory problem using deep heat will only make it worse as it draws blood, although ice never fails ok mate. I dont think i know of an injury or a little soreness that cant be helped with ice (thats a generalisation lads). But, just to say it again, go and see the doctor ok, its what they get paied so much to do - see and deal with peoples problems.

All the best mate.

[fubar84]

Going on from AJ's post, increasing your speed and distance are the most obvious methods to improve on your time. Initially choose one or the other per run, don't increase both distance and speed in the same run.

You could also look at sharpening exercises to include such as hill sprints, interval training and fartlek. These may seem like entirely seperate entities to your 1.5 miler, but by including some in your weekly routine will benefit your time.

If you post up your weekly routine of any cardio and resistance/calisthenics training you do (include distances for runs, reps/weights/sets etc for weights)
myself and others will be able to taylor our advice to suit your needs.

All the best,
Ben

Links:
Fartlek http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/fartlek.htm
Intervals http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/interval.htm
Hill Sprints http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/hilltrain.htm

[jarhead]

hi there, just out of interest mate, how old are you?

im 18 and i never run more than 1 mile in my life, though i was a very sporty person ie swimming judo ect.

i failed my first PRMC due to bad 3 miler, at 16,

i now training on running and been doing pressups for a while nowie Max amount every hour from 12-6, i attempted 1.3 miles and did it in 8:10, heres what im doing atm and seeing good improvements.

running wise:

running everyday mon-fri 2 miles worked up from 1ish mile to 1.5 -2 in about 2 weeks. once you can do 1.5 with some effort do 2 miles.
i managed to do 2 miles in 13:28 which crazy sinse i even had x2 slow jobs in that , try like other said do hill running ie x2 hill sprints x15 press x3.

this helps i found a lot, also just do the distance then get faster each time and try cut out fast walks/jogs in between, i now hoping to do 3 miles this week(after only 2 weeks of running, which shows what a novice can do if you push yourself a little) i hope to do 3 miles whith only 1 /2 jog rests in between and get a time of 21-22 mins.

like others said push your self a little and you WILL see massive improvements, i like to say pain now better than pain later on PRMC.

p.s anyone know if PRMC changed ie 3 miles run as group or is it 1.5 group 1.5 best effort, if the latter, whats the time for the group 1.5 mile?

p.s.s fartleg just like interval training right?

[fubar84]

Jarhead - You're not going to get many responses on here if you don't use the search function and you don't use correct grammar and spelling.

Fartlek is like interval training in that you alternate between running hard and recovery runs. Apart from that interval training tends to be more structured in the lengths (short sprints and recoveries). Fartlek sessions are meant to be ran 'as you feel' so you may run hard for 1/2 mile and jog/walk until ready to go again.

The PRMC 3 miler is currently 1.5 miles as a squad in 12.5 mins, followed by 1.5 miles best effort (in less than 10 mins). By the time you are a couple of months from attempting PRMC you should look to be running 3 mile routes as the bulk of your training. 1.5 mile best efforts are fine, but you'll need to run 3 milers so you are comfortable with the distance.

All this has been covered several times before and I posted about the length of the 3 miler in another topic earlier on today, so that topic is still on the front page. Not difficult to find.

[MarkBunt]

At the minute..
Mon - 20min run
Press ups
Sit ups
Pull ups

Weds - 15min warm up
Run hard for 1min - 1min recover for 15mins
Cool down for 10mins

Fri- 15min warm up
Circuit training
15min cool down

Sunday - Swimming 20mins

So i think this needs tweaking alot.. give me your advice

[mitch_boxing]

I think a few interval and hill sessions would bring down your 1.5 mile time. It makes that kind of run so much mentally easier.

Mitch

[Polynikes]

Hmm. MarkBunt - I'm not sure if training 3 times a week will be enough. In PRMC you will have four hard sessions in two days.

How about:

Sunday - Long distance
Monday - Gym (treadmill, cycle etc)
Tuesday - Hill work (cross country)
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - Sprint session or Fartlek
Friday - Gym or swim
Saturday - rest

Obviously this is quite an increase on what you are currently doing. This is just a suggestion. Should you choose to follow it add in some circuit training and go easy for a couple of weeks so your body can adjust.

Edit - But before you do alter your training programme... Get a doctor to look at your shin.

[MarkBunt]

ill try anything i just wanna get fit..

[fubar84]

The key to upping your training is progression. Don't just drop what you're doing and leap into a 6 day per week training programme. This is the surest way of injuring yourself or becoming de-motivated with training altogether.

The programme polynikes has suggested is a suitable overall goal to aim for, ie. You should slowly but surely increase your training regime until you can comfortably cope with the programme.

As for your immediate targets, I think you should be looking to increase the length of your current runs to 3 miles or 30 minutes (whichever comes first) and then increase the pace when it begins to feel normal.

Example:
Current run 20 mins - you increase you runs, doing 30 minutes before you have run 5k. Your next target is to run 5k.

or

Current run 20 mins - you run 5k in under 30 mins. Your next target is to increase the pace to improve your time.

If your currently at the stage where your trying to lose fat as well as getting physically fitter then a slower longer run (above 30 mins) will be also be beneficial.

Following on, the next target should be to include another run in your routine (friday?) and to turn your Monday upper body exercises into a full cicrcuit session.

Have a look at this link for advice on circuits and what sort of training Lympstone expect you to be doing by the time you apply for PRMC:

http://www.mfat.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... ht=#200192

This all may seem a little daunting, but just remember that these types of programmes/times etc.. are long term goals. If one week you feel that you can't complete your 5k run, or can't fit in 3 runs, there's no shame in having an easier week.

As Polynikes said (and admittedly I completely overlooked, get a doc to check out your lump.) Very early on in my training I was getting pains in my right shin and a lump too. After speaking to the doc, he didn't know what the lump was . I rested off for two weeks, had my running style examined at the physio/running store, bought a proper pair of running daps and have been fine ever since. I still get the lump when I run though...

[MarkBunt]

Cheers for the advice Fubar, i thnk im gonna get a proper pair on running shoes!

[AJtothemax]

Bloody hell Fubar, how much time did you save me . Bang on adivce there mate as well as everyone else

Mark....

ill try anything i just wanna get fit..

Mate it will come in time. Fitness is one of the most honest things out there these days. You have to suffer one way or another for it, no matter what. Just keep your head up high and keep on trying. I've read that advice and its solid stuff. Use it correctly and just keep trying ok. Providing you stick it in with hard work, the natural progression for your body will be to adapt as fast as it can ok. Also, i hope you're getting that problem with your leg looked at.

One more thing, if you need any more advice just throw a PM my way and i'll get back ton you asap. Alternatively, if you really want detailed advice or great nutrition advice, talk to Spence, that guys pretty clued up on those things and knows what hes on about.

All the best.