Problems with running please help?

Question

In school we have to run a mile for gym. I can run a mile in about 11 minutes. We are being grade though on how much time we take and 11 minutes is a C. I need to get a B which means I have to run the mile in 9 or less. How do I train or become a better runner to run the mile in 9 minutes. I have a week and a half. Please help. I don't want my GPA to be brought down because of my grade in gym. The mile is 40% of my grade.

Answer 1

Okay, first off, a week and a half is a push to shave two minutes off your mile. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you'll have to push yourself!

There are a lot of things that you must balance well to improve and/or become a good runner. The following should at least help.

First and foremost, drink, drink, drink! WATER, that is. Gatorade is good, but make sure you are at least drinking two glasses of water for every one glass of Gatorade. HYDRATION IS A MUST! I do two-mile PT (physical training) Tests, and I normally finish in about 14 minutes even. If I am poorly hydrated, it could add up to 3 or 4 minutes to that. If you are unsure of how hydrated you are, look at the color of your urine. The lighter the color, the better-hydrated you are.

If you have problems with cramps while running, add some sodium and potassium to your diet. A little salt on your meals will fulfill your need for sodium. A banana will provide all the potassium you need for a day of light-moderate exercise. Cramps are also and indication of dehydration. Drink more water. Also, be aware of what's in your body while you exercise. Exercising right after eating will cause you to be really sluggish and possibly cause vomitting. If you eat before your PE/PT test, Be sure to eat something that settles really well, and eat really light. Potatoe chips are not a good choice! Go for the health food.

Now, to the actual physical training. If you stop often, you need to not stop! If you find yourself tired, slow down, but DO NOT start walking! Walking will lower your heart rate. Lowering the heart rate will cause the lactic acid (the stuff in you that makes your muscles tired and sore) in your muscles to build. As long as your heart rate stays elevated, your blood will continue to pull this stuff out of your muscles. This in mind, if you are too tired to continue your pace, slow down to a slower JOG, but do not walk.

Learn your pace. Every person has a different pace that works for them. You need to know how fast you are capable of running, and try to run just a little faster. If you are able, give yourself some sort of marker for every quarter-mile. Know how fast you must run each quarter-mile, and do that four times. I have found it's best to keep track of my time in quarter-mile intervals, so that I know if I need to speed up to reach my goal. In this case, a digital stop watch is a good investment if you don't already have one. To run a 9 minute mile, you need to run each quarter-mile in 2:15. Try to push for a little under this as you may tire toward the end
and come a little short.

Keep your head elevated. As they tire, most people's first reaction is to put their head down and breath erratically. Doing this will cause you to get even more tired. The best thing to do is maintain good posture with your head elevated and your airways open as you run/jog.

Just as you need to establish a good pace, you need to control your breathing. Breathing heavily and erratically will hinder your running abilities as well. You should see what works for you, but I like to take two steps breathing in, and two steps breathing out. A lot of people say to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, but this is mostly to prevent you from breathing erratically. If you controll your breathing, it doesn't matter if you breath through your nose or mouth unless you are running in the cold. If you are running in the cold, I would suggest you breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. This will help warm the air some before it gets to your lungs. Cold air on the lungs can cause temporary breathing problems.

Run, run, run! The only way to get better at running is to run! Do it AT LEAST 3 times a week. Run AT LEAST a mile and a half each time with the exception of one or two assessment runs to allow you to establish a pace. Running more than what you will have to on your test will make it easier when it counts. Of those minimal 3 days per week, make two of those distance runs (at least 1.5 miles) and one a speed run (sprint for 30 seconds, then slow jog 60 seconds repeatedly for at least a half-hour).

Lastly, MOTIVATION. How much you want to do this will make all the difference. If you give up and start walking once you get tired, you'll never reach your goal. You have to keep going, ESPECIALLY when you get exhausted. It's not supposed to be easy. IT WONT BE EASY.

I wish you the best of luck. I hope these suggestions help.

Answer 2

Okay, so I get where you're coming from. Not that I've ever been in this situation, but I can only imagine how terrible it must be. Now I do NOT think you should take this job. I know you might be wanting more positive opinions at this point but that's how I feel. ( I am 14, will be 15 in December so I'm about your age). Although I feel this way, I know you are NOT a slut or anything. I think it's great you would go the extra mile to help out, but I really think that you should go the extra mile by doing a different job...even if the exotic dancing pays ALOT. And it might get harder and harder to keep lying to your mom. Even if you are just saying its 'another job', she might wonder why you are getting paid so much more extra than a teen would be getting paid with a regular minimum wage job. Plus, there are always problems with regular jobs, but problems may occur even more with this type of job. So this is my opinion, but I say good luck with whatever your decision is. Hope I helped, and I hope everything starts getting better. :)

Answer 3

Most are giving good advice. 11-min mile is not much more than a slow trot. Unless your over weight you should be able to bring down the time quickly. When training this next week practice a couple of things besides just going out for a jog. After you are about 5-mins into your jog try picking up the pace by increasing your foot speed (turn-over) you need just a little extra effort see how long you can handle this extra speed. You might be just fine with it. You will notice your breathing will increase, its ok... just return to your previous pace if that happens and you can't hold the new quicker pace. Think quicker steps you will be there before you know it... Good Luck..

Answer 4

Just run every day, taking a day or 2 from now till your test for a break. I think it's really unfair that you're graded on how fast you can run a mile. When I was in school, we wore heart rate monitors and were graded on our average heart rate and how long we were in the "target zone" instead of how long it took to run a mile. All you can do is run at least a mile every day until your test, it will get better.

Answer 5

Well I am in the almost exact situation. I needed a 10 30 and got an 11 20 on wednesday. My grade suffered. However I did shave 1 20 off of my normal time. So this is how I did it. I found someone who gets a very good grade then just tran with them. Whenever they ran I was gforced to. I thought I would die but they kept encouraging me. Well eventually I just forgot it and let them go ahead of me but the time I did run with them helped my time a lot so I would give it a try just push your limits you won't die I didn't also bringing an ipod can help fast music can inspire you

Answer 6

I cant really tell you this but I am a natural runner. I can run a mile in 8:38 minutes so..

I say run each day you can and try to get faster each day. Train yourself not to stop every 30 seconds it might be hard...But reward yourself with chocolate or something or think about a cute person you met.

Answer 7

i had this problem too. practice running everyday but run about a mile and a half. try running without stopping. a few minutes after u start running I'll feel a bUrning sensation in ur legs and thighs--ignore it. keep doing this about every other day. on the days u don't run do leg extensions, with weights and squats.(be careful with the squats u might hUrt Ur knees) for about 20 minutes a day take lots of breaks but don't give up. drink plenty of water, but not right before running. and finally when u run (don't break out in a speed) think about Ur favorite movie, let it play in Ur head and keep a steady pace only speed up on ur last half lap............remember don't stop!

Answer 8

do you have a tredmile? probably not by the way you are talking. but yeah if you do start with that and work your miles up with that. the more practice the better you become because right now your out of shape...like me...lol....now i know its cold outside, depending on where you live but dress really warm and run around your neighborhood....ill have to start doing that soon because im joining track..lol. good luck

Answer 9

just practice everyday here for the next week and a half run a mile and time yourself if your school as a outdoor track and if its not cold where you are they should let you use it when you are out of school gl:)

Answer 10

practice everyday and bring 2 bottles of water with you to so you wont get dehydrated