When he says "5:15 pace", I'm pretty sure he means "a pace that would result in running one mile in 5 minutes and 15 seconds." Since a 5K is about 3.1 miles, that means that they'd run a 5K in a total of about 16 minutes & 15 seconds.

 

Correct, we have a winner

 

I agree with the people that said to practice on the course. If possible, run even further than that so when it comes time for the test, you won't be thinking about how long it is, but how short it is. Train alone as well, because if the test is with a group, you can draft a little off of other people. Good luck.

 

sounds like a military thing.

i'm retired but here's how I managed my troops when i was in.

if they were winded while taking the PT test, they needed sprint-based training

if they were out of energy or cramping up, they needed endurance-based training


IMHO the time to start getting ready for the next PT test starts the day after you took the last one.

I'm not expert, but I enjoyed outrunning 18 year olds.

 

I think I'll be fine but it will probably be the most boring run on earth. I have the option to take it the 20th of january but I'm opting to take it the 9th to get it out of the way so my scholarship gets locked in

 

You should run in as close to identical conditions as you possibly can. Eg, on a long straight concrete stretch and then turn around and head back. I wouldn't run regularly for long distances on concrete, but you should do some.

During high school I ran distance and played soccer (both in city league and school). I'd come into track season in very good shape but having not run on cement/concrete for nearly 9 months. Put me on a dirt track on the first day of track practice and I could run a 5:30 which went down as track season progressed. On the urban jungle (concrete/cement) I was usually practically lame by the end of the first week of slow paced endurance work. Different strokes for different folks... switching from mud & grass to cement & concrete was brutal on me, may not be for you. I've had military friends who've seized up halfway through the run due to shin splints and fail. They're in good enough shape they just never run on concrete. Other people aren't as phased by it much if at all.

My advice would be to run half a mile at a steady pace, say 7:30 since that's what you're running now. Do that every other day or at least a few times before your PT and see how you feel. Make sure you warm up especially since its so cold.

 

I compete in about 10 to 12 triathlons a year, mostly Olympic distance and Half-Iron distance races, and for the last four years or so I have a triathlon coach.

You haven't given a lot of information is the post. I don't know what your age group is. Moreover, most run training (and bike training for that matter) today is more focused on heart-rate, lactic thresholds and a combination of aerobic and anaerobic workouts than speed. But assuming you are in relatively good shape I might suggest the following workouts--which are somewhat condensed workouts that one might do if he or she were trying to improve his or her speed in a triathlon. First, don't change too much in your training at this point--you might as well dance the dance that brought you to the dance. I personally think that intense training on a treadmill is not really worthwhile, but since that's how you started to train, I wouldn't necessarily change it.

There are two principles to follow to run faster: (1) build endurance first; (2) work on speed next. If you want to run two miles at race pace, i.e., 8:18's, then it might be a good idea to build up to a comfortable pace and run say three or four miles. Shoot for a minute to 90 seconds slower per mile than the pace you are targeting. Before running, warm up for 10 minutes at a slow jog and cool down for 10 minutes at a slow jog. Stretch before and after running. Do this workout on Saturday...you might want to try this outside since you are going at a pace slower than your target pace and it will help you to get used to running outside?

On Sunday, work in some speed work into your run...interval training is a great way to build speed. Many serious triathletes by the way do a light speed workout as a buildup in the days before a race so don't think that you will tire yourself out. Your schedule has more than enough recovery time built into it. This interval workout would involve say a three mile run...first stretch and then run easy for 10 minutes before doing the run...throw in a few 50 yard sprints at less than 100 percent speed. Then after you are warmed up, run say 5 minutes easy and 1 minute at your target speed...repeat for three miles and then run 10 minutes as an easy cool down. Stretch after running.

I would then run easy to moderate on Tuesday, again at a pace slower than your target pace. Start and finish with a 10 minute jog to warm up and cool down, and stretch before and after running. I would also run easy on Wednesday, just a slow job. Give yourself a 5 minute warm up and cool down, and again stretch before and after running. One day off for rest should be more than sufficient. This is a little personal, but I don't like taking more than one day off between runs.

On the day of your test, stretch and warmup for 10 minutes with an easy jog and throw in a couple of 50 sprints (between 3 and 5) at no more than 50% of top speed.

Good luck.

 

I fail at reading.

 

I also made the transition from MO to MS for the army. It was a little different for me, because I actually lost time on my 2 mile run. I suspect it was because it wasn't 15 degrees outside in MS, like it was in MO.

BTW, did you run on the golf course and see any alligators?

I also have a PT test coming up at the end of Feb. I never really do any extra running to prepare. Most of the time I cross around 16:00 or so. But, I am a slender guy (as my mother-in-law LOVES to remind me) so maybe that is it.

 

Golf course in Gulfport? We ran around it but I never saw any LIZZIDS