How can you QUICKLY decrease your time for a 3 mile run?

Question

I am trying to get a 3 mile run in 18 minutes as fast as possible, will need it for a test.
Anyway, I am in good shape but running has always kicked my ***. Right now I can get 3 miles in about 24 minutes, and 1 mile in about 6:30.

Anyone know good ways to train quickly for a 3 mile run?

I know, DO IT to get better at it, and I am, but I am also looking for other things to do, also ways to improve your respiratory system.

"Nevertheless, assuming you have some regular schedule of training, here is generally what you need to do."

Well I stretch every morning after a quick warm up, then on alternating days I either run until I can't run anymore, or I jog until I feel like stopping....

Not to structured I guess


Thanks for the info

Answer 1

Im assuming here that you have a 3 mile test runcoming up shortly? Could be tricky.

Do you go to the gym? Running in the treadmill canbe a good place to start if you do. Alternate these 3 exercises, 1 each session
Run for 30 minutes, at 9 1/2 miles an hour. This will help your stamina so that you wont tire in the shorter distance run - you will keep your speed all the way then
Run at a fast comfortable speed and every 30 seconds increase the incline on the treadmill be 1/2 a degree. Do this for 5 minutes, then at 5 1/2 minutes run, decrease the incline by 1/2 degree untill at 10 minutes you are back to zero. If you found this easy then next time start a bit faster. After 10 minutes then run at 0 incline untill you have covered 2 miles if you can. This increases the strength in your legs
Run at a fast comfortable speed and every 45 or 60 seconds increase the speed by 1, again, do this for 10 minutes. This increases the speed of your legs and lengthens your stride.
When you find these 2 easy then increase the starting speed.
Run as far as you can at 10.3 mph speed.

In these sessions, be carefull how you use the treadmill and dont exceede your abilities - dont fall off it!

Add a bit fo cross training and well in the gym, cycle, row and cross trainers and swim, and a bit of strength training - core, arms and legs.


If you dont have access to the gym try the ideas but outside.
Run for 30 minutes, at a steady pace
Find a hill to run up, jog to the hill, run up it as hard as you can, then jog to recover, then run up it again... repeat a few times then jog home. Increases leg strength
Run to the hill then jog up it, but run down it, increases speed and stride length, repeat.
Run as far as you can at 10.3 mph.

With running outside at a steady speed it mighthelp if you have a friend cycling beside you with a speedometer on the bike , they keep the steady pace and you keep up with them. Dont let them get away no matter howhard it feels

Go out on a bike, keep in a low gear and spin your legs quickly, this will get your lungs going. Swim.

The last thing to train is your mind. Youcan run at 10mph for 3 miles easily however sometimes your mind willstop you. You have to runwith the attitude that you can do it. If you want a rest then pick a point ahead of you, or distance onthe treadmill, and say "I will rest when I get there, and start running again when I get to that point", of course when you get to the point you want you might actually be able to keep running a bit, so pick a new stop and start point

Answer 2

QUICKLY gets you sick or injured and running ability ain't something you can just rush into. So I'll give you the secret but you have to approach running as a lifestyle change, a JOURNEY, not a destination.

Why don't you tell us about your current training???? which would give me an idea of where you are in training. Nevertheless, assuming you have some regular schedule of training, here is generally what you need to do.

1. Stretch
2. Drink water
3. Rest

TRAINING for the first 4 weeks:
DAy 1 - 2 miles easy
Day 2 - 2 miles easy
Day 3 - 10x100s at the track. Run the straights hard, fast, controlled; rest, recover, jog, walk the turns. Half-mile warmup & warmdown.
Day 4 - 2 miles easy
Day 5 - 2 miles easy
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - 4 miles easy

After the first 4 weeks,
DAy 1 - 4 miles easy
Day 2 - 2 miles easy
Day 3 - 10x100s at the track. Run the straights hard, fast, controlled; rest, recover, jog, walk the turns. Half-mile warmup & warmdown.
Day 4 - 2 miles easy
Day 5 - 2 miles easy
Day 6 - 10x100s at the track. Run the straights hard, fast, controlled; rest, recover, jog, walk the turns. Half-mile warmup & warmdown.
Day 7 - rest

Good Luck

Answer 3

Now im no huge athlete, but i have been running cross country for three years. I started out in a 12-minuite mile, and now i can do three in about 21.

About an hour and a half before you run, get a banana and some water. Bananas help you not get cramps, and water hydrates you. After that, just wait until stretch time. (I warm up about 25 min before race time with an easy half mile, then stretch)

When I train through the week:

Monday: Distance, 4 or 5 easy
Tuesday: Sprints, quarter mile-one mile intervals, mix it up some
Wendnesday: Simulated race, 3 miles at race pace
Thursday: Maybe some lunges, pushups, situps and a few other muscle workouts. After that, treat yourself to some protein.
Friday: Easy 20 min run, if Saturday is race day, then you dont want to wear yourself down, just eat right that day and have pasta for dinner the night before. Pasta has slow carbs that will give you a bit more of a kick in the morning.

When i first started this a few years back, my 5k was about 35, lowered it to a 27 in three weeks. Just gotta keep a good breathing and running pace, thats all up to you though.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Answer 4

The best way to improve your cardiovascular system is endurance work, or running.
You need to be running about 5 miles 5 to 6 days per week.

2 days run tempo runs where you are running at 70 to 80% maximum speed.
1 day run timed or distance intervals. Start by running 3 minutes fast, then jog 3 minutes to recover, repeat these for a total of 10 fast intervals.

If you can go to a track run 10x800 in 3: 00 with 1 minute rests. Another day you can do repeat miles running them at your target time of 6:00, doing 4 to 5 with 3 minutes rest.

Every other week find a 5K road race and enter it so you will stress yourself and see how you are improving.

Improving quickly means in about 1 month.

Answer 5

Two quick ideas.
1 Cycle training, if breathing is your problem. Try sprinting for 50-100 yards mixed with slower pace until your breathing slows, then another sprint, repeat. Weight work, if legs giving out in your problem. Squats, leg extensions, leg curls.
2. Hatha yoga. Take a few classes, or pick up a beginners video. Helps with lung expansion and flexiblity, which can improve your Oxygen uptake. Plus, you can practice the basic breathing exercises several times a day, riding in the car, etc.
SPECIAL NOTE: PLEASE make sure you have a complete physical, no matter what your age or condition before stepping up to sprinting or weights, and quit if you develop any dizziness or headache. I always had those symptoms (mild, so i never worried about it) all of my life. Turns out I had a brain aneurysm all of my life, and it blew out at age 45, after 30 years of working out on an almost daily basis. I'm one of the lucky 5%, I lived and have no disability from it. So, get checked out before you push too hard. Dead men don't pass any tests.

Answer 6

well if you dont want to run all the time cross train like bike... or running would be the best like run like 8 miles and then 4 miles the next day then like 8 miles again repeat it works for me.

Answer 7

I don't know how you will do that quickly. But by running everyday, that will help drop your time. Good Luck.

Answer 8

try a healthy diet and keep on training.
endurance running is a great way to start

Answer 9

first build a quicker pace then practice with that pace. ohh yeah a good diet helps

Answer 10

run hard, low rest time, challenge yourself every time you run. and eat right. try lifting weights for strengthening your legs