Need to run 1.5 miles in 17 minutes and need help (lifting, treadmill, reduce)

[StaggerLee22]

So I have to take a physical for the state to get this job in the correction dept. and have to run 1.5 mils in under 17min and 37 seconds.
Strange timeline I know....
I've never run at all in my life and could use some help.
Here are my stats:

--male
--42 years old
--6'4
--270 pounds {WAS 286 six weeks ago, but lost 16lbs while dieting}
--smoker
--20 years of off and on weight training.
--strong in the gym, decent bench/ squat/ deadlift
--drink about a gallon of water daily--no booze

I HAVE to pass this running test.
But I dont know where to start.
I only have 4 weeks to trian as the test is on November 1,2011

Is this obtainable for me?

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Absolutely. If you smoke and don't run, you can still possibly do it but you might give yourself a heart attack in the process.

Ha ha, just kidding. Heck, you can walk 1.5 miles in 17 minutes and 37 seconds.

Do you have a track near you, like maybe at a school? (Or do they fence these in these days, too?) If you do, just walk 6 times around that track. See how long it took.

Then, jog at a very comfortable pace, 6 times around that track. If you can't make it, walk a little bit but try to jog as much as you can.

I think you'll be surprised with the time.

[grmi66]

Most guys in their 40's would be able to walk it that fast. Start this weekend and hit the track, maybe mix it up and run one lap and walk the next.

Watch your diet, the weight you lose will make you faster.

Helped a guy in a somewhat similar situation trying to get into the military. Told him to lay off squats and heavy lifting for a month. Instead do bodyweight exercises and conditioning exercises like barbell complexes. Personally when I start squatting it adds 20-30 seconds to my mile times. I'm stronger, but at the expense of being faster.

[*Sixy*]

Originally Posted by StaggerLee22

So I have to take a physical for the state to get this job in the correction dept. and have to run 1.5 mils in under 17min and 37 seconds.
Strange timeline I know....
I've never run at all in my life and could use some help.
Here are my stats:

--male
--42 years old
--6'4
--270 pounds {WAS 286 six weeks ago, but lost 16lbs while dieting}
--smoker
--20 years of off and on weight training.
--strong in the gym, decent bench/ squat/ deadlift
--drink about a gallon of water daily--no booze

I HAVE to pass this running test.
But I dont know where to start.
I only have 4 weeks to trian as the test is on November 1,2011

Is this obtainable for me?

You could probably briskly walk that distance in that time, especially since you are tall.

Do you have to actually run the distance, or can you do a combination of walking/running? If that is allowed then it should be pretty easy to beat that time with 4 weeks of training.

[locolobo13]

I second the idea of going to the local track. Or just measure it out on a map. 1 1/2 mi is 22.5 min at 4 mph (brisk walk), 18 min at 5 mph (racewalking), 15 min at 6 mph (slow jog). Unless you are a race walker you will probably have to jog some of the distance.

You have 4 wks, start out slow. Try a fast walk first. See how you do. Then you can make some decisions about pacing.

Since you are new to this I would suggest stretching as well.

Running Stretches - Head to Toe Running Stretches

Cool Running | Stay Loose: Stretches for Runners

If the links don't work google beginners running stretches. There's plenty there. Youtube probably has some stretching routines as well.

[jojo61397]

Here's how to train to run 15 minutes straight (you should be able to run the 1.5 mile with this). Run 3-4 days a week:

Week one: warm up 5 mins with brisk walking. Run 1 min, walk 4 min, repeat 3 times, cool down 5 minutes brisk walking

Week two: W/U brisk walk, Run 2 min, walk 3 mins repeat 3 times, cool down

Week three: same w/u and c/d, run 4 min, walk 1 min, repeat 3 times

Week four: same w/u and c/d run 15 min

My qualifications: NASM personal trainer, I have been a runner for over 25 years, and I have done 4 marathons. I'm currently training my mom to do a 5K (and this is the method I used for her, she's running 2 miles at 62 and 30 pounds overweight).

[jasper12]

Start this week, walking every day, at a track by your home, usually there is one open at a local HS, or join a gym, and start working on the treadmill, time to hit it, you can do this...go to the doctor, get a patch, and a script for Zyban to reduce smoking, buy some new running/walking shoes, to break them in before your "test". You need to work on Cardio, at the gym, take any cardio classes they have, start using the bike. This is not too tough...but work at it for five days a week.

[Bakeneko]

Shouldn't be too hard - if you start now. The above posters are right - I'd start at a local high school and get a baseline.

When you take the test - are you running alone or with a group of others? When I ran my PFT's (physical fitness tests) in the Corps , I wasn't a great "speed" runner but found it helpful to pace myself off someone I knew to be a better runner.

[gigimac]

Keep in mind the "four-minute mile" is Olympic type stuff, four times around a normal track = 1 mile. So, compared to that, you're being given a whole lot of time. Also, if there's no track handy, you can measure the distance in your car in a place where it's safe and fairly level to run, you'll be amazed at how short a distance that really is. I agree with walking and jogging as you go. First fast-walk it, you may get really winded, but it'll improve. Gradually push the walk into a jog until you are exhausted and then walk to cool down. Add more jogging episodes into it as you get used to the distance.

When you get to the end of the second week out of four, timeclock what you got. I wouldn't time it before then, because there is a chance you'll be unbelievably slow and might get discouraged. And while dieting is a good idea, before you do these 1-1/2 mile treks, maybe an hour before you head out, eat perhaps scrambled eggs with toast, you need something to burn or you'll run low on energy, which by the way getting a good burn on food going will make MORE pounds come off, not less. Drink lots of water and carefully stretch before or after the run. Let us know how your training goes, we'd love to read about your progress, stats, where you decided to run, etc.

[Dd714]

An average human walks at about a 4 miles an hour pace, thas is, 1 mile every 15 minutes. I don't think 1.5 miles in 17 minutes is even jogging speed, this is simply a fast walk pace.