Running till failure???

Question

I know that the only way to get stronger is to lift until failure, does the same method apply to cardio, need to be able to run 2miles in 16min. (or closest to it) 1 month from today,now i can run 1mile in 8:30 and be spent afterward, is it safe to train until i puke or absolutely need to sit down, i know the mind gives out far before the body does,im planning on pushing myself pretty hard the next couple of weeks, any advise is appreciated.

Answer 1

I ran in high school (still just 18 though) and my personal record for a 2 mile race was 11:45. Of course I trained a lot but quite frankly running until puking sounds very dangerous.

It's good to vary your workouts. You can do speed workouts (400m, 800m, 1600m sprints) with a little bit of rest in between. I'd do those 3 days a week. And then on the days in between go for longer relaxing runs (3-5 miles).

Get good sleep and rest, overtraining especially if your body is not use to it can quickly lead to injury.

Good luck! You sound like your ready mentally already!

Answer 2

Roger Bannister was the first miler to go a mile in under 4 minutes. No way can you come close, but it gives you a perspective.

If youre ready to puke after running a mile I would suggest that you should have a thorough physical by a doctor after telling him what you are doing. I had problems with stamina,breathing, heaving, agonizing pain in my side toward the end of each run. I found out too late for competition that my problem was asthma. I could have been a real contender back then if I had the treatment I have now.

Additionally, a quarter mile jog, followed by fifteen minutes of serious calisthenics is necessary before each run. You should be under the supervision and direction of an experienced running coach.

Answer 3

The answer is: Definitely not!!!

What you need is endurance or aerobic fitness. The only way to improve that is run slow and LONG. If you can run a mile in 8'30", then, try to run at 10  - 10'30" pace and see how far you can go. If you have 1 month, you need to build the distance, try to run 3-4 miles at a slower pace every day and increase mileage by 10% each week and you will see some improvement every 2 weeks. So, by the end of 1 month, your mile time should drop to below 8 and your 2 miles time should be close to 16 (My guess will be 16'40"). But if you did not run distance before, your improvement might be bigger thus getting to your 16 min. target.

Good luck.