How can I get my Mile time down an additional Minute and 1/2?

Question

I have lost about 50 pounds in the past 6 months by running and I started running a mile arround 13 minutes now I am down to 9 and a half minutes. I weigh in at 229lbs and i am going into basic training in may or june. I feel like I have made alot of progress from when i was 280lbs but i have to be below 8 and a half minutes to be accepted by the military.

Answer 1

This is going to sound odd, but it works, really well. Go to a public college pool or something like that. Begin at one side of the 3ft-4ft end and slowly walk across to the other repeat till your tired, do this every day. Before you know it you'll be flying.  This is what they do to help race horses get better times. It strengthens their leg muscles and makes them run lighter.

Answer 2

I have been running for 8 years now and would recommend the following:

I would strengthen the core: calves, quads, hams, back and abdominal (the "six pack" muscles along with the obleks), chest and arms. But when strengthening these muscles, I would focus more on the muscle endurance not the muscle bulk. For more advice for this, I would consult with a personal trainer. For the running part, I would stay flexible as it helps/contributes to your balance (so do the muscles in your core) but also helps prevent some injuries like pulled muscles and shin splints. Also, I would try to make up a schedule where you can run for X amount of days and try to have a long run. I would start off slowly, running about 2-3 miles per run for the first week and increase my mileage per week. Make sure you have the following: a good diet, hydration, sleep, a good sense on how to take care of your body, and sleep. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

this is easy. all you have to do is start at a fast pace in which you want to finish the mile in. every day run at that pace for as long as you can untill you start to slow down a lot. keep doing this untill you reach your goal and if that pace doesnt shave 1.5 minutes off of your mile then try an even faster one. you can also try doing this 2-3 times a day to speed up the procces. make sure to strech before and after you run for 5-7 minutes. and take a 3-5 minute walk to get your heart rate down to normal. if your legs are still sore after doing these two things then put some ice on them, using this method i want from an 8:15 mile to a 6:07 mile in just 3 weeks. good luck i hope you can get it down to 7 minutes.

Answer 4

Congrats on the weight loss.  Typical speed training for distance consists of intervals.  Start off with short intervals... sprint 100 yards, walk 100 yards.  work your way up to 10 sets of those (sprint, walk, sprint again, walk, etc.)

Eventually increase your distance so you're sprinting about a quarter mile (1 lap around a highschool track roughly) and walking about half that distance, then sprinting it again)...  if you can sprint 4-6 400's (400 meters) with a minute rest (slow jog) in between, you'll be in good shape.  Ease into it though... otherwise you'll hurt something.  Your muscles need to get used to it.

Answer 5

wow! that's great! congratulations on your hard work.

Try to do wt training a few days a week and incorporate leg work 1 or 2 days a week. Be sure to stretch, staying loose helps too.

lastly incorporate 1 or 2 days of interval trng (alternate jogging for 2 min with 1 min of sprinting, or find a hill and sprint up it and walk slow down 10 times after you go for a run).

OH, and eat Healthy with enough calories and plenty of water, you need to be hydrated and have enough energy to run faster. And losing a few more pounds wouldnt hurt so you are lighter on your ft.