Trying to get on with another JBT agency and have a physical agility test coming up in two weeks or so.  I've been slacking big time and haven't even started running until today.  Basically I have to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes and 37 seconds or less.  I know that's pretty easy but I haven't done any running in a long time.  How often should I run to get back in decent enough shape where I wont' die for there testing.

First off I am no runner but, I do run several times a week. What you have described is a 10 min mile. I don't know how overweight you are or what physical condition you are in or your age. With the limited information I have here goes. There is no other way to train for running except running, not even the treadmill. If you are not extremly over weight I would run every day. Start running the 1.5 mile for distance, not really worring about the time. After you have gone the distance a few times then time your self, see where you are at and work toward your goal. Be sure to strech  your muscles before and after your run, hydrate, and walk some before and after you run.
I hope this helps.

TonyM

Quoted: First off I am no runner but, I do run several times a week. What you have described is a 10 min mile. I don't know how overweight you are or what physical condition you are in or your age. With the limited information I have here goes. There is no other way to train for running except running, not even the treadmill. If you are not extremly over weight I would run every day. Start running the 1.5 mile for distance, not really worring about the time. After you have gone the distance a few times then time your self, see where you are at and work toward your goal. Be sure to strech  your muscles before and after your run, hydrate, and walk some before and after you run. I hope this helps. TonyM

I'm 28, 5'11" 165, in fairly decent shape but I'm a smoker and I'm more worried about my lungs and breathing during the run...make sense?  Yesterday I went and ran 3 laps and walked 3 laps.  I'm not even sore this morning which is quite suprising.

Don't run the same distance every day.

I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated.

If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well.

I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x.

Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles.

Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles.

Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile.

Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles.

Stretch during breaks.

Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day.

Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism.

Quoted: Don't run the same distance every day. I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated. If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well. I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x. Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles. Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles. Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile. Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles. Stretch during breaks. Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day. Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism.

RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY

Quoted: RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY

hahaha!

If you can't catch 'em, shoot 'em!

"I'd rather let a thousand guilty men go free than chase after them." ~Police Chief Wiggum

Quoted: Quoted: Don't run the same distance every day. I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated. If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well. I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x. Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles. Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles. Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile. Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles. Stretch during breaks. Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day. Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism. RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY

I think the kid is trying to kill all of us old folks.  Damn kids, no respect anymore.

Quoted: Quoted: Don't run the same distance every day. I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated. If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well. I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x. Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles. Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles. Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile. Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles. Stretch during breaks. Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day. Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism. RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY

Just trying to help man. If you do this, and do it all the time, you will feel better.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Don't run the same distance every day. I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated. If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well. I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x. Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles. Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles. Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile. Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles. Stretch during breaks. Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day. Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism. RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY Just trying to help man. If you do this, and do it all the time, you will feel better.

Could be but why do I feel so much better after I stop running???

Check out "coolrunings.com" website

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Don't run the same distance every day. I recommend you start working on speed as quickly as possible. Stretch well and stay hydrated. If you need a list of stretches, I can provide one. Stretch well. I recommend running hard for 1/2 mile, take a 15 minute break. Repeat 4x. Run 3 miles. Break for 1/2 hour. Run 3 miles. Run 1.5 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1.5 miles. Run 1 mile. Break 1/2 hour. Run 1 mile. Run 2 miles. Break 1/2 hour. Run 2 miles. Stretch during breaks. Do this routine, you should have it easy. Run every day. Hey - and just because you make your qualification, doesn't mean you should stop running! You'll live longer, lose weight, and increase your metabolism. RUN 3 MILES ON PURPOSE...ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND.  RUNNING SUCKS.  YOU'D BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN DRIVE A PATROL CAR OVER AND THROUGH TO GET THE BAD GUY Just trying to help man. If you do this, and do it all the time, you will feel better. Could be but why do I feel so much better after I stop running???

Your call. I feel good after I run, but in a different way. Except after running a race....then I feel like crap.

jadams:  Mind if I ask which JBT agency you're trying to get on with?  I've been trying to get into LE jobs for awhile now.  Problem is that I'm not a runner and most agencies I've seen want you to do 1.5 miles in about 12 minutes.  I know I can do 1.5 in 15 minutes with a little practice.  Just curious in that perhaps its an agency that I overlooked before.

Sniper_Wolfe:  Any chance I can get that list of stretches from you as well?  I've never really known what stretches to do for running nor how to do them.  Would help me out a lot.

Quoted: jadams:  Mind if I ask which JBT agency you're trying to get on with?  I've been trying to get into LE jobs for awhile now.  Problem is that I'm not a runner and most agencies I've seen want you to do 1.5 miles in about 12 minutes.  I know I can do 1.5 in 15 minutes with a little practice.  Just curious in that perhaps its an agency that I overlooked before. Sniper_Wolfe:  Any chance I can get that list of stretches from you as well?  I've never really known what stretches to do for running nor how to do them.  Would help me out a lot.

Here's a rough copy of what I wrote up for another member here.

do each of these for 20 seconds:

standing:

straight down - touch toes

cross feet (so that your right foot is on the left side)

cross feet - opposite

spread out feet - down to right

down to left

straight down w/ spread legs

camelhumps - this is kind of hard to explain. get on the balls of your feet, plop your butt down on your feet, but your hands behind you on the ground, and kind of put your stomach up. if you're doing it right, it'll stretch out the front of your thighs.

sitting:

feet straight out - go straight out.

spread legs - down to the right

down to the left

straight out (with legs still spread)

put your left leg straight. put your right foot so that it's on the left side of your left knee, with the right knee sticking up. now turn you back to the right (while keeping your back straight up and down with the ground)

reverse left/right

butterfly, pull your legs close in.

butterfly, put your legs farther out

calf stretch - find a pole or something. put your heel in the ground and then put your toe on there. lean forward (keeping your leg straight). if you do it right, you should feel your calf stretching.

left leg

both legs (use the pole to hold yourself up)

Sorry about punctuation/capitalization - didn't feel like revising it.

Thanks Sniper_Wolfe.  I'll print that out and try it out.  Never really knew how to stretch correctly.  Hope this helps improve my running.

Xero: Another good online resource for running stuff (including stretching) is Runner's World's site (www.runnersworld.com). Once you get to the home page, click on Mind & Body, then go to Stretching and click on More Articles. You'll find a half dozen or so stories on stretching, stretches and how-to's.