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Mac_t1lt
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Just from my point of view as obviously training to reach the same standard, there’s lads on here who could break it down far better but il drop my 2pence anyway.
look to get as close to 6minute miles as possible.
1mile - 6minutes (preferably under)
2miles - 13minutes (or under)
3miles / 5k - 20minutes (or under)
4miles - 28minutes (or under)
10k - 40 mins (or under)
To run faster shorter distances you need to run longer distances slower. I’m not a professional I can only go by what I’ve learnt / been told myself. Its all about consistency and anyone can do it, I’m far from mega fit, but I think I’ve done well all things considered.
An example - Nov2019 I couldn’t finish a mile, just ran short 0.7mile bursts. Ran first ever 5k on Dec25 2019 in 28 minutes. Once I was able to complete said distance I was doing it 3 times a week, knocking off anywhere between 30secs to a minute on every 3rd/4th run. Once I was around the 24-26min 5k mark i started running about 6 times a week, sometimes running 2 5ks a day, whilst doing a 2km best effort once every 2 weeks. Essentially mate - just run structured - and fcking mean it. Hydrate rest and eat well think positively and believe you can do it and it’ll get done.
To simplify-
if you run 5 times a week, do 4 runs at a 7/8 min mile pace, on the last run go for a 6:30 pace (or under) and hold that for as long as possible. Rinse and repeat.
Hopefully this helps mate, again, as I’m a non-pro runner who’s only been running properly for just over a year, I’m probably chatting proper guff. @Coachmikechadwick @Snows or @PhysMan may drop some gold if we ask nicely
Actually @Mac_t1lt your post is on the mark, that's all good advice. Also the 6-minute mile goal is a good one, and those times are about right. The only bit I'd change is the specific 6:30 or 7/8 mm pace advice. @Decwba18 Nobody can tell you what "high", "medium" or "low" rate looks like for you without actually observing you, which is why PTIs etc won't give individual advice online.
What you can do is work it out for yourself:
Pick a set route (for where you are sounds like 3-4 miles). Do 3 runs in one week: First, run the route as a max effort personal best and record the time. Second, run the route without working hard at all, so you can hold a conversation the whole way around (don't imagine it, do it, with a partner or talk to yourself). Third, run the route so you are working but it's comfortable - you could step up a gear at any point, but equally aren't slacking. This is why it's important to do the second run second, so you know what slacking feels like!
Record your times for each of those, and work out what the pace is. Those are your current High, Low and Medium paces.
For your target paces, well, on any given day they're slightly faster than your current ones. Simple! If you are looking to improve your running pace, then I'd recommend these kinds of splits in your training load:
Plan 1 (Improve Endurance): 20% High pace, 40% Medium pace, and 40% Low pace.
Plan 2 (Improve Speed): 20% High pace, 20% Sprint sessions, 60% Low pace.
Plan 3 (Improve Distance): 20% High pace, 20% Medium pace, 60% Low pace.
Every time you do a high pace session, you are trying to improve your PB. Every time you do a Medium pace session, you can push a little, but remember you should always feel you can step up a gear if required. Every time you do a Low pace session, you should feel you aren't working hard at all throughout. As you do that, you'll find your pace times for each gradually improve.
As Mac said, you want your high pace sessions to be your lowest distance, and your low pace sessions to be your highest distance. This will gradually improve your overall distance. Mix those plans up, or put them in the structure I posted on the training forum.
I am and always have been a dreadful runner. But you can still achieve what you want to regardless (remember almost all the running you have to do will be with weight - some blokes, like me, find that relatively a lot easier). The difference is that you will have to work a lot harder and smarter at it than guys for who it comes easily!
Finally, I'd start doing all the above on easy courses (easy ground, mostly flat). Once you've broken the back of it and are starting to see improvements, start running on more difficult ground and some hills. Hills in particular will screw with your times massively, so don't assume that just because you can run 6:00 on the flat, that you'll be able to do that on a training area that goes up and down. This catches out a lot of guys who have only trained on treadmills, athletics tracks or in cities.
PS These posts probably go best in this forum so others can find similar advice in future: https://www.paras.uk/forums/training-plans.17/
What you can do is work it out for yourself:
Pick a set route (for where you are sounds like 3-4 miles). Do 3 runs in one week: First, run the route as a max effort personal best and record the time. Second, run the route without working hard at all, so you can hold a conversation the whole way around (don't imagine it, do it, with a partner or talk to yourself). Third, run the route so you are working but it's comfortable - you could step up a gear at any point, but equally aren't slacking. This is why it's important to do the second run second, so you know what slacking feels like!
Record your times for each of those, and work out what the pace is. Those are your current High, Low and Medium paces.
For your target paces, well, on any given day they're slightly faster than your current ones. Simple! If you are looking to improve your running pace, then I'd recommend these kinds of splits in your training load:
Plan 1 (Improve Endurance): 20% High pace, 40% Medium pace, and 40% Low pace.
Plan 2 (Improve Speed): 20% High pace, 20% Sprint sessions, 60% Low pace.
Plan 3 (Improve Distance): 20% High pace, 20% Medium pace, 60% Low pace.
Every time you do a high pace session, you are trying to improve your PB. Every time you do a Medium pace session, you can push a little, but remember you should always feel you can step up a gear if required. Every time you do a Low pace session, you should feel you aren't working hard at all throughout. As you do that, you'll find your pace times for each gradually improve.
As Mac said, you want your high pace sessions to be your lowest distance, and your low pace sessions to be your highest distance. This will gradually improve your overall distance. Mix those plans up, or put them in the structure I posted on the training forum.
I am and always have been a dreadful runner. But you can still achieve what you want to regardless (remember almost all the running you have to do will be with weight - some blokes, like me, find that relatively a lot easier). The difference is that you will have to work a lot harder and smarter at it than guys for who it comes easily!
Finally, I'd start doing all the above on easy courses (easy ground, mostly flat). Once you've broken the back of it and are starting to see improvements, start running on more difficult ground and some hills. Hills in particular will screw with your times massively, so don't assume that just because you can run 6:00 on the flat, that you'll be able to do that on a training area that goes up and down. This catches out a lot of guys who have only trained on treadmills, athletics tracks or in cities.
PS These posts probably go best in this forum so others can find similar advice in future: https://www.paras.uk/forums/training-plans.17/
If you're already doing 10k ish distances without problems, then yes that sounds good.
No, it won't help much for the bleep test. The bleep test is pretty specific - for that you want to do more sprint sessions, which increase VO2 Max. Look at the Tabata sprint session I posted in the training forum (Top 3 Sessions or something like that). Also, you want to practice the bleep test technique. There used to be some pretty bad advice that it was about aggression, that you should hurl yourself into the turns. This is stupid - basic physics means the faster you are going when you have to turn, the more energy it takes to stop yourself and turn, so the quicker you get tired. What you want to do is accelerate quickly, maximise your pace in the middle of the 20m, go very gentle into the turns, and be in a good position to launch and accelerate on the next beep. This means, at the higher levels, you need to have a good sense of the timing. You get that by practicing the bleep test and being familiar with it.
Getting the technique right on the bleep test gained me about 2 levels instantly when I did it years back, which is why I'm not convinced it's a great entry test.
100% you need to stop building it up into this big scary event, it isn’t! You need to do it more often and not quit. You can do it mate go ahead and smash it
Aldo
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You need to change where you do this!
Mac_t1lt
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Rome wasn’t built in a day just keep putting the work in and you’ll get there
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Less excuses. Nobody cares you slipped on moss. PARA mindset on. Learn and get it cracked.
Moving forward, GOOD EFFORT. You have done it and you can record a score of 9 now. You now have a baseline to work from, you know for a FACT you can achieve level 9. So guess what, next week I want you to hit 9.5 and we will continue to build. Follow the plan we discussed and read @Snows post. Keep moving forward
I think this is very important.
@Decwba18 you're young; you are very close to the required level already; you have plenty of time; the recruitment process isn't working too quickly anyway because of COVID; there is no deadline, operation or war you are missing out on. The best thing you could probably do for yourself is chill out a bit! Determination isn't something you just take like a pill, it takes time and experience to develop.
Fake positivity is just as useless as real negativity. You don't need either. It sounds to me like you'd benefit from learning to place your head in neutral. Accept that the world doesn't revolve around your bleep test score or run time; keep chipping away at it and put the time in; but after you've done your session for the day, put it all out of your mind and focus on something else without stressing.
I don't know your exact circumstances, but it's a weird time that everyone is living in where almost everything is unsatisfactory and frustrating. The most useful experience you can get from that isn't improving your run time, it's the mental resilience to keep chipping away under poor conditions.
Well you’ve got access to a good bunch here mate. Likeminded and driven individuals so keep on engaging with us all.