How can I get faster times on 2 mile runs? Need help for a soon to be highschooler! Cross country help!?

Question

I'm an 8th grader and I did cross country. Our competitions were 1.5 mile runs and I did that in 9:30 at my best. I finished 15th in the city. But in highschool, freshmen's must run 2 miles and most do that in around 12 minutes! I do 2 miles in about 13.30.

I have until next august about to get better so how can I!? I run about 1.5 miles 4 times a week. I think I should be doing more so please tell me what to do. I've been doing that for a while but always have the same times

Running daily would not be a problem but how can I actually get faster times! I want to be decent in freshmen year and 13:30 would be one of the last place runners! It's a big step up from 8th grade running to highschool.

I have no idea on how to train so please help me, tell me routines to do, tell me how I can improve time on 2 miles. I'D LIKE TO DO 2 MILES IN 12 MINUTES BY JUNE 2008, at least. Also what is a good diet to go with this? What to eat and when?

Any guides,links or info is greatly appreciacted!

Answer 1

Run Run and More run.

Do long distance hill running too, that helps a bunch. Like find a really really long, not to steep, hill. It helps build muscular strength and endurance really fast.

Also, running with a weight belt helps a lot. It trains your muscles on a heavier load. Don't do it too often because your knees will feel it.

I would also consider mixing in short distance running, because that helps a lot. Not short short like 100 m, but short like 400 and 800 m.


By means of diet, lots and lots of complex carbs, like spaghetti and lasagna. Helps a lot, and lots of vegies and fruits. Any carbonated stuff kills your oxygen levels inside your blood and your muscles, so stay away from soda and sugar.

Also, learn your pace. You have to have a feel for how fast your running.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=312

Answer 2

I don't know any diets other than getting your protein, but I do know what you can do to get faster times. What you need to do is everyday time how fast you run. Then slowly start to run faster and faster at a constant pace. Just every couple of days just run a little faster and try to run that fast for a couple of days. If you can't do that running outside try it on a treadmill and after about 3-4 days put the speed up by about .1 or .2. After a while you will get used to the speed and thats when you start to go faster. Also if you want to get faster your going to have to run about everyday. Take about 1 or 2 days off a week to give your body a break, but make sure that they are not back to back days other whys it will set you back. Good luck making your time. I hope this helped.

Answer 3

Don't listen to these people saying carry heavy backpacks and stair steppers.
The only thing you need is miles endurance is so much more important than speed but, you need to mix in speed workouts to get good.Miles!!Miles!!!Miles!!!!.

Sample training Plan

Monday:7 Miles Easy pace
Tuesday: Hills!!! Running up a hill that's long than do hill sprints those make you fast stair steppers don't.
Wednesday:8 Miles harder pace than Monday
Thursday:Speed 10x400's fast pace you race pace.
Friday:Fun run just do whatever at least 2 miles just do stuff
Saturday: 10 miles
Sunday:Rest

This may seem intense but, this is how I became a the third best runner in my state... I do more intense training but, this is good for you. Please don't listen to some of these people they have no idea what there talking about. Plus you need to learn to peak right then you can be very good.

Answer 4

OH the 12 minute fitness test. I remember that!! For one keep a timer, and monitor your times, if you have access to a treadmile that would be great because you can run and monitor. Eliminate junk food from your diet, try to eat everything before 7:30. Eat a big breakfast,never skip breakfast. Drink lots of water. And continue to run 4 times a week but since you will be running 2 miles in august slowly increase your milage of running each day until you get into the habit of running 2 miles each run.

Answer 5

I recommend you increase your mileage to 2 miles runs. Do it slowly like this: increase 1 day to 2 miles for the first month. Then add another half mile on another day so that you run 2 miles on 2 days each for that month. After 4 months you are running 2 miles all 4 days you run each week.

Add some light gym work to your week also for the upper body, arms, abs, and back.

Add a 5th day of running each week. Get to the track and run 10x100s, running the straights fast, hard, relaxed, & controlled. then rest, walk, jog the turns, until you have done 10 reps. Do a half mile jog warmup and warmdown.

Plenty of stretching every day.

Good Luck

Answer 6

Cardio is the secret. You need to increase your distance slowly and run longer during training for the short run.

If you are going to do a 1.5 Cross Country run then you need to be training on 5 mile runs to 8 mile runs.
This way when you run your meet your gonna do 1.5 in a little under 7 minutes.

Answer 7

instead of running 1.5 miles during training, run longer distances at a steady pace.

xc country at our school, we warm up to the lake... about 1.5 miles. conversational pace. slow and steady

we then go around the 2 mile lake at a fast pace, depending on the training.

after that we run the 1.5 miles back to school

that comes to about 5 miles

xc is endurance... but you know that :)

don't worry too much about accomplishing a certain time. That's what practice is for

give yourself a chance to improve

as for eating, just eat healthy. if your going to race, take in a bunch of carbs (from pasta, rice, etc) the night before. the day of, eat a bagel, but give yourself at least an hour to digest, you don't want any food in your stomach while you race

so, just work on endurance, and maybe some speedwork. (800 fast... 200 slow... etc)

make sure you rest though

because if you work yourself too much, you might get injured which is going to affect you greatly

my coach always said. rest is a part of training

give you body a chance to heal

after a practice, drink some milk if your not going to eat anything

it has the protein, calcium, and other things your body needs

don't worry too much, your coach in high school will teach you a bunch things, and have you do a bunch of workouts that will greatly improve your time :)

Answer 8

u get faster, if you do some fartlek training.

this is speed play, look it up,
I used to do cross country races since i started Secondary school (Different in America; im from the UK) i just began college this year, last week i had to do some running in North Wales.. if you want to get higher train atleast four times a week! Which you got.

try doing weight exercise aswell as aerobic activities so, work on stamina, then speed. I suppose its harder for a girl to run 2 miles in 12minutes so you might be able to!

find out different training methods and then do them! it really is effective

Answer 9

run more than you need to like 2 and a half miles and just keep running that everyday your time will get better. no junk food. plenty of sleep.

Answer 10

carry a back pack with up to at least 20 pounds to school every day and where after that work on some foot and leg excercises like kicking it will improve your legwork stamina and speed 2x i did that when they were fixing my locker and i had 6th best time on 2.4 in gr 8 out of the whole class after i always ended up almost last before do this all summer and run and practice 2.4 k with the back pack on