HELP! - Need to pass a PFT

Sounds like a failure to plan, not a 2 week emergency.

He needs 8 to 10 weeks. He's at a 10 minute mile for 3/4 of a mile and needs to get to an 8:15 mile for 1.5 miles.

The only way I could see this working is if it was mental block.

Key would be to get moving and stay moving.

Friday - Easy Run/Walk 1 mile, whatever pace

Saturday - Cross Train (Bike/Swim/Hike/Basketball)

Sunday - Run/Walk 1.5 miles, whatever pace

Monday - Easy Run/Walk 1 mile, whatever pace

Tuesday - 10 minute run/walk warm-up, 3x 2:00 lap repeats but rest between each lap (walk a lap), 10 minute run/walk cool-down

Wednesday - Easy Run/Walk 1 mile, whatever pace

Thursday - Rest Day (or light cross-training)

Friday - 10 minute run/walk warm-up, 4x 2:00 lap repeats but rest between each lap (walk a lap), 10 minute run/walk cool-down

Saturday - Cross Train (Bike/Swim/Hike/Basketball)

Sunday - Run 2 miles

Monday - Easy Run 1 mile, whatever pace

Tuesday - 10 minute run/walk warm-up, 5x 2:00 lap repeats but rest between each lap (walk a lap), 10 minute run/walk cool-down

Wednesday - Easy Run/Walk 1 mile, whatever pace

Thursday - Rest Day (or light cross-training)

Friday - Run 2 miles

Saturday - Light Cross Train (Bike/Swim/Hike/Basketball)

Sunday - Rest day (assuming before test)

Monday - PT Test (rest the day before)

I would agree with the failure to plan piece except he was on track for a fall test and there was an opening where he was able to qualify earlier. We were going to train through the summer. But yes, this is an emergency and he wants to push as hard as he can to get to the goal. I just dont know if it is achievable....

Anyone seen someone condition this much in this short amount of time?

just keep trying. get in at least 2 miles of volume per day. he'll make very big improvements very quickly, but it'll be tough. maybe he'll make it maybe he won't.

and I don't think there's nearly enough hard runs in the posted schedule. do 1-2 lap repeats, yes, but do them almost every day.

amghost wrote:

Hi,

My son needs to pass a personal fitness test to get into the Police Academy. He has just over 2 weeks to prepare. His biggest challenge will be 1.5 miles in 12:38! He has not run distance before. We went to the HS track yesterday and he was only able to run 3 laps at about a 2:30 pace.

Is this even possible to get him ready for a 1.5 / 12:38???

He is not heavy and looking at him you would say he looks in shape. He just doesn't have the endurance or the distance.

Is it possible to prepare in such a short amount of time? How?

Any and all advice is very appreciated!

Just to be clear, he ran 3 laps at 2:30 per lap? And then had to stop/slow down? If so...

He has absolutely no chance to run 1.5 miles in 12:38 in two weeks.

If he started training seriously now, he might be able to run 1.5 miles that fast in less than 6 months. You'd be able to make a better estimate after he's been training consistently for a couple of months.

Ok, I'll be the dick here. Shouldn't he be more concerned about getting in shape to do his job properly and protect the public?

Good luck getting him in shape for the test, but hopefully it's not a one and done event

amghost wrote:

I would agree with the failure to plan piece except he was on track for a fall test and there was an opening where he was able to qualify earlier. We were going to train through the summer. But yes, this is an emergency and he wants to push as hard as he can to get to the goal. I just dont know if it is achievable....

Anyone seen someone condition this much in this short amount of time?

No... unless there was some problem with his 3-lap time trial. If he can't hold a 10-minute mile pace for 3/4 mile, there's no way he can run 8:26/mile in for 1.5 miles in two weeks.

Fortunately, a 12:38 for 1.5 miles is not that hard for a healthy young person to do with some running training.

If he's not running consistently now, he's not on track for a fall running test of 1.5 in 12:38. He needs to start running now.

Since he has never trained, he should be able to make rapid improvement. His issue will be adjusting to the lactic acid and to keeping his body moving for an extended period of time. The best way to do this would be to mix in some biking with the running (for the longer periods of aerobic activity to build up endurance and to also remove some of the lactic acid). If Rocky can do it, he can do it. Two weeks is enough time. He probably needs to start today. Two miles of running (at the beginning he may need to walk some, but it is imperative he finish the two miles) and five miles of biking (this will actually help reduce the amount of lactic acid in his system, so long as he does it smooth and slow). He should be able to do it as long as he is not fat. Any idea what is height and weight are?

He is about 5'10.5 and 175

No reason for attacks. Came her for advice.

He is in shape except for the running endurance which, again, he had planned to start training over the summer for. This test just came at him out of t he blue. He is at the gym a few times a week (weights) and also plays basketball regularly. Again though, nothing for long distance endurance.

amghost wrote:

No reason for attacks. Came her for advice.

He is in shape except for the running endurance which, again, he had planned to start training over the summer for. This test just came at him out of t he blue. He is at the gym a few times a week (weights) and also plays basketball regularly. Again though, nothing for long distance endurance.

Shock and Awe:

Today. Run/walk for 30-45min

Tomorrow: Run/Walk for 30-45min

Continue for 3 days on, 1 day off. Aim to run more each time. Doesn’t matter how slow or fast. Just run. Walk when you have to, but run and run some more. After each run go to a track and run as far as he can at the pace he has to keep for then PFT.

It’s possible. He just needs to run a lot and now. So run until he literally can’t.

No running for two days prior to the PFT.

So it will look like this:

Day 1: 30-45min slow run

Day 2: 30-45min slow run

Day 3: 30-45min slow run

Day 4: off

Day 5: 30-45min slow run

Day 6: 30-45min slow run

Day 7: 30-45min slow run

Day 8: Off

Day 9: 30-45min slow run

Day 10: 30-45min slow run

Day 11: 30-45min slow run

Day 12: off

Day 13: off

Day 14: Test.

Reminder: at end of each slow run go to track and run as far as he can at the pace he’s supposed to keep. Half lap, whole lap, multiple laps, doesn’t matter at first.

Alan

This reminds me of kids I see in basic training who run their first APFT in 25-30+ min for two miles.

Alan

Given his dimensions, lifting background and basketball background, he should be able to do it. He just needs to buckle down and grind out the next couple weeks until he feels comfortable with the running. He has a lot of factors in his favor.

It seems to me that two days in a row would be better, but I'll defer to Alan. He knows more that I do about this type of training.

Let us know how it works out. Post some progress reports. I don' t think it's possible... 14:xx seems like a best case to me, but my coaching experience is limited to older adults. Best of luck.

Oh, it's very important on the track to focus on what the goal pace feels like. A very common rookie mistake is to go out too fast on the first part of the race and then fade badly.

Is this test being run on a track or is a course that the police laid out and measured themselves? If not on the track, my bet is the course is short, so there is 30 seconds or so for free. Most cops in NYC cannot pass this test.

I am much more hopeful that with some effort this can be done. Art's plan is pretty good. He also needs to lose 5-10 pounds, very doable. Most people who have never run go into some sort of shock when they are forced to run continuously for the first time. I remember running with healthy, reasonably fast and fit football players early in the season, they would look like they were going to die after a few laps around the field; almost the same thing in baseball and basketball. Once he dials in the distance and does some drills he will adjust far better and the improvement will be huge. I would actually suggest double sessions after the first week, his recovery time should be minimal. Good luck.

Amghost, post some progress reports here. If the test is on a track, we can give you some additional tips.

I'm very curious to see how he responds and whether this much improvement is possible.

I'll just shart this while I'm thinking about it.

On the track, his laps should be 2:06, which is 8:24/mile or 12:36/1.5 miles.

His splits should be.

Lap 1 - 2:06

Lap 2 - 4:12

Lap 3 - 6:18

Lap 4 - 8:24

Lap 5 - 10:30

Lap 6 - 12:36

Update - We've been running each day using a slight combination of the suggestions here. He's made some improvement but we're hoping for more.

The first time we ran (a week ago) he stopped after 3 laps.

We're up to 4.5 now at a good pace. After that, we break for a few minutes and have then been doing two laps of sprints (Straight part of track - sprint -- Round ends - walk).

Based on what I've read here it seems we have one more week to push this out and then cross my finger and hope the adrenalin kicks in for him.

I've tired to encourage him by telling him he's going to be winded as anything but to try to distract himself from that and keep his legs moving. A lot of this is going to be mental Im sure.

They do have an actual track:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/suffolk+county+police+academy+brentwood/@40.7993584,-73.2732768,439m/data=!3m1!1e3

Any other advice is definitely welcomed!

amghost wrote:

Update - We've been running each day using a slight combination of the suggestions here. He's made some improvement but we're hoping for more.

Thanks for the update. If the 4.5 laps at 'good pace' is close to target pace then he is looking good as the affect of adrenalin can be very significant. If the PFT test is done as a group run make sure he doesn't try to run with the leaders and go off too fast. He should aim to stick to his target pace and ideally sit in behind another runner who is also at that pace or slightly, but not much, faster.