Quote:
Originally Posted by vskid3
No sprints or faster running at all? I do the 2 mile on my PT test in about 14:30. Most of my training is usually done at a 7:30 to 8:00 mile pace for 3-5 miles and some sprinting. Would I likely benefit from running slower during training? That goes against my logic and the Army's logic, but we all know how good the Army's logic can be.  |
The military, all branches, is very much about pushing yourself. That, and sleep deprivation. Pushing yourself to physical exhaustion works well for strength training. It does not work for endurance training.
Running any distance longer than 400 meters or so is endurance running. Professional running coaches normally recommend that most training be done at 2 to 3 minutes per mile slower than 5K race pace. Your recommended normal training pace would thus be about 10 minutes per mile.
This training is best done about six days per week, and 3 to 5 miles each time. It's good to go longer on one day, say about 6 to 10 miles. It's good to go faster on ONE day, say do the last 2 to 3 miles at a hard pace. Hard means breathing hard, but well short of flat out. This is training, not racing.
I normally run six days per week from January through September. Most days are 4 to 5 miles, one day is 12 to 20 miles, one day is 11.5 miles with the last 3 miles hard. Those last 3 miles are usually 8:00 to 8:20 minutes per mile.
A flat out, holding nothing back, run once a month does not hurt. 5K races are good for this.