Running is for fitness, not a test

  • Published
  • By Mr. Bill Goins
  • 8th Fighter Wing exercise physiologist
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Let me start by saying this is not a commentary on getting better at a test. Your Air Force fitness test is simply a check-up. If you are training for your test, you are doomed to fail eventually. The Air Force Fitness Program is not a test. The program is what you do day in and day out to improve and maintain a high level of cardiovascular and muscular fitness.

That being said, I've got one word for you ... consistency. This is really the bottom line on all components of fitness. The key is not to exercise for a month or two so that you can be average on your test day. The key is to be consistent and make exercise a part of your lifestyle, your daily schedule, so that you can excel at any time.

Now, because I know you are all still doing more running because of the test, here are some general tips to help you stay consistent and improve your running fitness.

Don't do too much too soon. The biggest mistake you can make is not being consistent with your exercise and then deciding you are going to run right days a week. Running is a very high impact exercise. If you have not been running consistently for the past eight to 12 weeks, then start off with two times per week running and two other days with non-impact exercises like cycling, swimming, or elliptical training. After you have been consistently running for at least eight weeks you should increase to three times per week running. I would not advise that anyone exceed three times per week running. That's right, you should not run five days per week. Your body really needs to have adequate recovery time from the impact of running.

Shoes and surface. Due to the impact of running on the joints, proper shoes and running surfaces are crucial to avoid injury. All running shoes are not the same. I cannot stress the importance of having the proper shoes for your feet and replacing them often. Please contact your squadron PT Leader for more guidance on finding the right shoes for you. Once you have the right shoes, running on the right surface can have a big influence on the success of your program. The track is a great place to run for its cushion, but for some folks it is quite boring. Running around on the streets can be more exciting, but the surface is harder on your joints. I would vary your training surfaces each time you run. Spice it up a little, sometimes at the track, sometimes around base, sometimes on the running paths and sometimes on a treadmill. This will help your body avoid excessive impact and it will help break the monotony of your program.

Don't stop at 1.5 miles. If you never run more than a mile and a half, you will never get faster at running a mile and a half. You must improve your lactate threshold. That is a fancy way to say that you must push your body past what it is used to ... you must "overload" it in order for it to improve. You need to work up to running at least 30 minutes or three miles without stopping. Once you get there, then you can work on speed.

Intervals Anyone? I don't mind saying that running sprints can really stink. They tend to kick your butt. However, they are the best way to improve your speed. Once you can run for 30 minutes or three miles without stopping, work intervals into your running program once per week. A couple of sample interval workouts are listed below. Remember, always start with a about a 10 minute warm up, and only try these after you can accomplish the 30 minutes or three miles.

       - Use telephone poles as markers. Jog from one telephone pole to the next, when you reach it, sprint to the next telephone pole, then jog to the next one, then sprint to the next one, and so on. Try to fit about six to 12 of these intervals into your 30 minute run.

       - On the track, in the middle of your 30 minute run, sprint the straight away, then jog the corners. Then sprint the straight away. Then jog the corner. Again, try to fit about six to 12 of these into your 30 minute run.

       - Using a stopwatch, run as fast as you can for two minutes and then slow down and jog for one minute. Then repeat. Again, try to do about five to 10 of these during your normal run.

Once you are able to accomplish 10 of these intervals during your runs, you should have shaved quite a bit of time off of your 1.5 mile run.

So remember don't focus on the mile and a half as a distance, make that your minimum goal. Also, don't do too much too soon. If you have to work up to a mile and a half, then give your body time to do that. Make sure you have the right shoes and that you are aware of the surfaces that you run on. Once you are ready, do some intervals. Most importantly, CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY!