Hi there guys,
I'm currently training up for entry into the ADF (RMC Duntroon). They require me to be able to run the 2400m in 11:48. I'm 27 years of age, am new to running (in a training sense - have always played sports though), and over the last 3 months I have been working a lot on my fitness. I have been working on the 3kms, purely because its a longer distance than the 2.4km, and I figure given the nature of the army I will be running all sorts of distances with all sorts of uncontrolled variables. The BFA (Basic Fitness Assessment) stipulates 2400 in 11.48 - well, if I can run faster than that pace, and over a longer distance (3kms) then I should be all the more prepared. I also run 6kms regularly as well to get the distance under my belt.

I now have my 3000m down to 13.45 (so estimate around the 11:25 mark at current for the 2400). I want to be faster, as I want to be in the best possible position in regards to fitness going in. 18 months at RMC is going to be hard, and I'd prefer not to be in a position where I'm having to worry about my fitness not being up to scratch, with everything else that will be going on while I'm there.

Problem now is, while I've seen some positive gains up until now, I've been running it (3kms) the last two weeks, and there hasn't been any improvement to my times. I took up cross-training through the week on my bike about 4 weeks back, which has helped my times initially (shaved 1:30 off my 3000m after 2 weeks of work on the bike), but now it seems like I have really started to plateau with no real light at the end of the tunnel.

Any tips on how I can build up my speed? Ideally, I want a 3kms time of around 12:30 - 13:00 (so a shaving of approx 1min off my 3kms) is a realistic goal. That should have me smashing the 2400m in about the 10:00 - 10:30 mark - which I would be very happy with.

I have access to a great swimming aquatic centre near-by with an Olympic pool, and have a very good flat-bar racer that I ride (and plenty of long cycle paths to ride on). I can juggle my days around any of these activities.

I'm just not sure how to approach combining the running, swimming and cycling (and exactly what training with each - i.e. speed/interval training? Hills? Beach runs?) and be able to put it all together to produce a program that yields really solid results with my running. I feel I'm almost knocking on the door in regards to what I want my run times to be at - I just need that big extra kick to the body to pop me over that hurdle, bust me through this dead patch and shave that last 1m off the 3kms so rain, hail or shine I can bust out a 3kms under 13:00!

When it comes to running performance, there is one (and according to me: the only one) source of information: Jack Daniels' Book "Daniels' Running Formula". I can't compare my results with yours, because I am almost twice your age and I started running a year and a half ago, but following one of the plans from this book,I improved my time on 5 K from 25:27 to 23:56 in exactly one year.
This book is great because everything is explained: the purpose of easy runs, intervals, repetitions, etc. Also, based on your recent time for a given distance, Jack Daniels (nothing to do with the whiskey brand) gives you the training paces at which you should do your workouts. The essential is to take your current time and not your desired time, then run at the appropriate paces.
I don't know how many time you have until your competition (maybe I missed the info), but this is where to search if you want the performance without injury.

Also, if you don't have too much time, you could try finding the information on Runners' World site. I saw recently programs for 5 km for the people having only several weeks until the race.
Another source is Greg McMillan's site: http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm. This is quite similar to Jack Daniels, but not the same paces.
Good luck and good running.


Mike

Do longer runs.

If you only run 3ks at a time then of course you're going to plateau after a while because your body is now used to that stress. Get up to doing 60 minutes at a time and you'll easily break 12:00 for 3k given your current speed.

If you're serious about running, then follow a proper training plan (Daniels as suggested is always a good start - you can get a copy from Borders). Crash training like you're doing will often lead to injury. You might even find you enjoy running for its own sake, not just as a means of passing this test:)

I would continue to run the 6ks once a week - or even extend this distance slowly.

Add a session of 15 mins warm up running, followed by 6x 2mins at 80% of maximum pace. 10 mins warm down jog.

Have a rest day then add a session of 15 mins warm up running, followed by 6x 500m at 80% of maximum pace. 10 mins warm down jog.

If you do this for 6-8 weeks prior to your fitness test, you will smash your entry time. In the week of your fitness test build in a mini taper where you drop the interval sessions freshen up.

Thanks for the advice. I found some copies on Amazon quite cheap to purchase
I'd love to be able to run for 60 mins non stop, but I doubt I would though - or if I was, to get through it, it would have to be very very slow. But I guess the theory in putting in one or two long such runs a week is not for speed, but just for cruising and to build up a bit of aerobic capacity right?
Is it possible I could sub in the long aerobic cruise run, with an hour on the bike or in the pool? Or would this be counter-productive?
Thanks Phoenix for the heads-up over some initial speed/threshold work - thats something I haven't done AT ALL yet (I've only been running the 3kms and 6kms distances), so I will incorporate that into my training over the next 4-6 weeks, and hopefully should see some results from it.

Yeah the idea on the 60 min run would be to go at a conversational pace such that you could easily converse with a training partner. 60 minutes of biking/swimming isn't the same as 60 mins of running because running strengthens specific muscles that other sports don't touch. That isn't to say that cross training isn't worthwhile, it's just that if you want to focus on running, most of your training should be in that sport.

Personally, I don't think you should be doing the kind of workouts Phoenix suggested. Doing 6x2 minutes or 6x500m at 80% won't really do anything because the intensity and duration of the workbouts are too low. You'd be better just running continuously. You're already under the cutoff time, so you have the speed you need. What you seem to want is long term fitness, and therefore aerobic capacity building longer runs are what you should be focussing on. Once a week do a 20 minute 'tempo run', where you warm up for at least 10 minutes and then run at a 90% effort. That's all the speedwork you need. Great gains in fitness can be made from running long because it improves your aerobic fitness.

Even if they were proper interval workouts (eg. 6x800m at 90-95% intensity), there would still be no reason to add them to your schedule. Doing speedwork when you're just starting out is a recipe for disaster because you're likely to get injured. Also, they mainly improve your 'anaerobic fitness' (as defined by Lydiard) and you can only get about 6 weeks of improvement from that before you plateau and go stale.

Good luck and have fun!

In simple terms, you're not running enough. You need to run more days per week and more minutes/hours per day. The cross-training, swimming etc, is not as effective as running if you want to improve (get faster) at running.

My advice is to build up to 5 (or more) days per week of running. Gradually increase the distance/time of each day until you're running 45-60 minutes per day at an easy pace. Slow! This will do more for your ability to consistently run 10:00 for 2.4k than any other type of training.

After a couple of months you might have reached this stage. Then, I'd do something like the following with your week: Day 1 - 60 minutes easy, D2 - 45 minutes easy, D3 - rest, D4 - 45 minutes 'hard' (not flat out), D5 - 60 minutes easy, D6 - 45 minutes easy, D7 - 45 minutes 'hard' (not flat out). This is 6 days per week, but you could throw in an extra rest day any time you really feel like you need it.

Every second or third week, replace one of the 45 minute hard days with a 2.4 to 3k time trial. If you run 10:20ish (for 2.4k) in a time trial, you'll run close to 10 flat in a race situation.

I am with everbody else here.. doing 3ks over and over again will do very little in the way of dramatic improvement. I used to be a grunt in 3RAR till 2002 (still am but a reservist) and you need to realise that the 2.4 is the BASIC fitness assesment you really need to do longer runs bear in mind at Majura (where you do your field phase) you will be doing 20k plus pack marchs at 11 minute k's with 60kg and above on your back so it is essential that you build a good aerobic base, and I honestly believe the best way to do this is to follow a plan for a half marathon.
If your running 11:00mins 2.4k's now on the day you'll run under 10 pretty easy.. although I always thought for the officers fitness test they had to drive around the car park without spilling any coffee
hope this helps!

Alright guys, thanks for the information. I'm new to running, so a lot of this is all new to me - but from what people have been saying, I'm thinking I should start on building a large aerobic base first by running both more regularly during the week, and for much longer duration. Throw in a time trial every week or fortnight or so to monitor improvement, then after 8 weeks or so, I can start incorporating some speed (or is it threshold?) training in there, of 8 x 300ms etc etc to build on that sound aerobic base with some speed.
A warrant officer at recruitment told me I should try and aim for a pace of 4mins/km or better - as being a pretty good rule of thumb for going into RMC. I'm quite a ways off that at this stage - probably averaging around the 4.20/km (3kms) or around 4.45/km (6kms). Gives me something to aim for though!