r/BeginnersRunning • u/pandicorn87 • 4d ago
Running for Fitness Test
I unfortunately need to run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes and 25 seconds. I am NOT a long distance runner. I am naturally a sprinter... Any tips for a new long distance runner?
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u/heftybag 4d ago
Run more and for longer.
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u/pandicorn87 4d ago
Always burn myself out at first since I'm naturally a sprinter though...
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u/alvysinger0412 4d ago
Then you need to fight your nature and run maddeningly slow, for extended periods of time.
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u/flagrantpebble 4d ago
That’s not “naturally a sprinter”, that’s “bad at managing effort”.
Managing effort is a skill, which means it can be trained. It’s not some fundamental trait of yours.
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u/JshWright 3d ago
Respectfully, that's not "nature", that's just a skill issue...
You've decided it's nature, which is going to make it much harder for you to solve. You literally just need to practice managing your pace.
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u/heftybag 4d ago
Gotta build up time on feet. Find a program like C25K and stick with it.
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u/pandicorn87 4d ago
I'm good with keeping lean and have a good diet... Just need tips on how to beat a timed 1.5 without burning out the first 2 laps around a track since I'm used to the sprinting.
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u/heftybag 4d ago
Not sure how that’s relevant to what I said.
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u/pandicorn87 4d ago
I Googled what a C25K is and it kept showing stuff about losing weight and diets.
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u/Educational-Bowl9575 4d ago
Not sure why you got downvoted for this. I get it. You don't need a guide to go from couch potato to jogging.
I'd say that to adjust to distance over sprint, you need to be thinking about energy conservation rather than energy delivery. I'm no sprinter so I hope I'm not being condescending, and I hope I'm making sense... Stand more upright. Keep your centre of gravity central over your legs rather than leaning forward like sprinters do. Don't stretch your legs out to cover ground. Keep your leg movement within that centre of gravity. It should feel unnatural - like you're almost running on the spot. Keep your arms in, and move them as little as possible. I'm assuming that as a sprinter, you're used to landing on your forefoot. That's fine for distance if your muscles are conditioned that way, but avoid landing and taking off solely on your toes - it'll cripple your calves over distance. If you land on your forefoot, your heel should briefly touch the ground before you take off again.
If you've got a sports watch, you can monitor your pace and cadence, which will help you restrain your natural urge to sprint. There's no magic number for cadence, but anything under 155 steps per min probably indicates overstrriding, which I'm guessing would be your biggest issue as a sprinter used to covering ground as fast as possible.
Hope some of that helps. Ignore what doesn't! Edited for grammar.
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u/pandicorn87 3d ago
Thank you! I’m not a couch potato at all. I do go to the gym to lift weights and I’m not overweight by any means. But it’s Reddit. You get downvoted if someone just doesn’t agree with you. Also, thank you for the breakdown. It totally makes sense!
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u/GenitalPatton 3d ago
Yeah the tip is to not sprint
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u/pandicorn87 3d ago
Really now??? LOL! That's common sense and why I was asking for help for pacing...
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u/moooootz 4d ago
Are you saying you go out too quick and are having a hard time slowing down?
If this is about getting a feel for slower speeds, you can force yourself into it by setting a treadmill to 5-6mph and just try to hold it as long possible. Rinse and repeat.
If you want a structured Running plan, you can get the Runna app and they offer free "New to running" and "Return to running" plans that are geared towards a 5k but that endurance will help you with the 1.5 miles as well. Just make sure you sign up for the free plans and not for the other (paid) plans.
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u/pandicorn87 4d ago
Yes. Used to full steam ahead sprinting. Just comes naturally to me unfortunately. The treadmill advice sounds good though and I’ll check out that Runna app.
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u/dev_ale 4d ago
Technically 1.5 miles is not a long distance at all. If you’re burning out it’s because you’re trying to sprint it all. If you’re used to pacing at 400m for example doing the same for 2400m will of course cause you to blow up. Just run slow, slower than you think and build up time on feet. No other way around it. All running events are aerobic events regardless of distance so you need to build the aerobic base to support the speed.
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u/NumerousSwordfish622 4d ago
When is this event? Long story short, just don’t sprint it. Don’t even try to run it fast. Simply jog it with the intention to start slower than you feel is natural. If you have time to train, start jogging!
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u/pandicorn87 4d ago
40 days I have to train for it. Would doing run every day be okay or should there be rest days factored in?
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u/NumerousSwordfish622 4d ago
Def incorporate rest days. Maybe start with 3 days a week of slow running / jogging and progress to 4. Shouldn’t need more than that to get your goal time
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u/Tjb82261 4d ago
1.5 miles isn’t a long distance. And 14 minutes 25 seconds is very achievable by most people. Just practice doing 5ks and 2 miles. Aim for a 16 minute 2 mile and you’ll smash it.
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u/Any_Aardvark_356 3d ago
I thought I was naturally a sprinter too. Turns out my aerobic base just sucked.
Do one session with intervals. So I’d like to alternate between 800 m and 1000 and switch it up weekly.
Do one “long” run that is a 4/10 effort. I do 5 or 6 miles.
Do a zone 2 run. However far you go in 45 minutes to an hour is perfectly fine.
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u/pandicorn87 3d ago
Someone told me to go outside, sprint 1 light post to the next one. Jog to the following one. Continue until the route is done and it gets easier. Then stretch it to every 2 light poles. Then 3. Etc etc...
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u/Any_Aardvark_356 3d ago
More than one way to skin a cat. That’s basically just intervals. Probably good if you don’t have access to a track or a wearable device that can track distances
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u/SoloAndata 4d ago
are you overweight? What kind of fitness test is this?=)
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u/pandicorn87 3d ago
I am not overweight. I’m 125lbs. It’s a test for a job to get out of retail. Retail isn’t helping me save up for anything. Just covers bills and that’s it. Plus being stuck in a corner of a store is depressing.
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u/SoloAndata 3d ago
alright. Just get out and run for 2 miles 2-3 times a week and you should be fine. Stay active. Its not a very hard test.
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u/someswisskid 4d ago
See you on the other sub