Safe running

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I've been sitting around doing nothing for quite a while now. A few months ago, I was able to run a mile in 6 minutes 50 seconds. After sitting around for a few months doing nothing, waiting for my parents' approval to join the Marines (only 17 - need a waiver with parental consent), I now can't run worth beans. Here's the deal: If you saw my legs or arms, you wouldn't be able to tell I had all that much fat. Look at my stomach, however, and I have fat on the lovehandles and all over my stomach. I need to get much of that off, while increasing my ability to run faster over a distance. So I figure, why not run to get that fat off! To meet Marine boot camp entry standards, I need to run 1.5 miles in 13 minutes or less. Currently, that's difficult for me. Can I run every day without risk of injury, or should I run every other day, and bike on the days I'm not running? And if I run every day or every other day, I don't know how long it will take before I start to see good results in decreasing my 1.5 mile time. Any guesses?Sorry for the long post

Your best bet is to work on what you need to do to complete the test, in your case running.

Get some good running shoes and avoid running on concrete as its not good for your legs. Running in a park would be ideal. Keep at it, run every day you can and just generally be as active as possible. Eventually you'll be able to do 1.5miles in 13 mins although once you get there keep going, its better to blitz the test as opposed to mearly passing it!

Max is right, 13min is just the entry requirement. The training in there will be much tougher, best to get as fit as possible.

That's a one of the great things about the Corps. They use progressive training throughout the 13 weeks of boot camp. Even if you barely meet the entry standards, you'll build up from there. Another great thing is the formation runs. When I did formation runs in my old Jrotc unit, I felt like I could run forever. It really helps me to have somebody with me that's going through the same thing that I am. The drill instructors also won't let you quit. No matter how much you want to, they won't let you. Like today on my run, I don't know what happened but my mind quit on me and I started walking.

You're right though, I shouldn't go in with just the minimum. I just got some new running shoes... Saucony's. Very light and comfortable.

Go somewhere that knows running shoes. It's likely that if Saucony's are comfortable, that they fit your foot well, but you may be able to find something even better. Make sure you go to a place that really specializes in running and not just general footwear, and make sure that they get you to walk around and look at the curvature of your foot (often by the way that you walk). I'm personally quite flat footed so I need shoes with extra curve to correct that (Mizuno for me).To improve your running, your best bet is to train in steps. Start with base training, starting not too far of a distance and taking an easy pace. You should continually up the distance until you're running a moderately long distance at a fast pace. This should last for at least 2 1/2 weeks. Next, you'll want to start incorporating some higher intensity training into your program. Begin going through those distances faster, and try doing some hill training if there are any hills located near your area (don't do hills more than once or twice a week). Do this for at least a couple of weeks. Now I'm not sure when you plan on joining, but for about 3 weeks prior to applying and doing this fitness test you should start on speed training. Every runner, distance and sprinter, needs to work on both endurance and speed. Most olympic marathon runners will only do one long run a week and do speed workouts (often intervals) 2 or 3 times for the rest of the week. Most short distance sprinters will do some lengthy intervals of short-mid distance where they run and repeat, thus allowing them to sprint without wearing out and slowing down over the last 30 meters. You should continue doing a moderately paced (not as slow as base training) long distance run once a week, do one or two ladder workouts a week, and run 1.5 miles in as short a time as possible (do this when you've had one or two days of rest before hand) every week. Be sure to give yourself rest between running days if you're doing anything of high intensity (a high intensity day, followed by a nice easy jog the next day is fine). Give yourself at least 1 day a week where you give your legs a complete rest, and don't do more than 3 really intense days in a week.For about a week before you do the fitness test, don't do anything intense, just do some nice easy runs and slow intervals (ladders are a type of interval) where you're not pushing yourself too hard.Your ladder workout should be done on a track, so if you could find one then that would be great. An example of a ladder would be to run 800m, 400m, 200m, 100m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m; taking 200m rests of walking or jogging between each except for a 100m rest after the two 100s. 800m is half a mile or two lengths of a full length track.If you find that a running partner really helps, try to find a group in your local area. In Canada, a great store for buying running gear (and some biking and swimming stuff) is The Running Room, but they also have their own running groups for people to get involved in. Perhaps you could find something similar in your area.Are you also required to do other fitness tests? I know that for the Canadian reserves, you're required to go through quite a few fitness tests, including swimming (only 50m), pushups, and situps.

Thanks for all the help. The Marine Corps PFT (physical fitness test) consists of three events: A 3 mile run in under 28 minutes, 3 pull ups, and 50 crunches. Those are the absolute minimums. The 3 mile run is at the end of boot camp. When recruits arrive, they only do a 1.5 mile run. I can already do at least 6 pull ups, but I'm working on those again (used to be able to do 11). I can also already do 100 crunches, which is the maximum score. For now, it's really just the running I'm concerned with.Again, thanks for the help.

back when i was a wicked soccer player, i could run 2 miles in 11:29 min.
(two claps for me!)
anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to meet the standards, just run a little everyday