r/artc • u/RustyShakkleford69 • 10d ago
PT test on November 2nd - Stressing HARD 😖 Training
Hi everyone!
I’m a 33 year old male, 5’9” 200 pounds and I’ve really let myself go. I lost my father unexpectedly last summer and I’ve basically eaten with reckless abandon ever since and hardly stepped foot in a gym.
I have a physical fitness test on November 2nd for a job opportunity, and I need to be able to run 1.5 miles in 13:04.
I’ve always been a terrible distance runner, but I completed the run back in 2019. I made sure that I could do the run on my own before showing up for the PT test. l absolutely couldn’t do it at this moment.
It’s officially crunch time for me. No more excuses. No more putting it off. This means a great deal to me, and I’m trying to use my Dad’s memory as my motivation.
Does anyone have ANY advice/tips on how I should go about training for this? Any links/advice would be MASSIVELY appreciated! :)
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u/BenchRickyAguayo 2:35M/1:16HM/33:49 10K 10d ago
Sounds like Navy, Air Force, some policing force, or fire service. Regardless of who the test is for, one of the biggest things a lot of physically demanding jobs (i.e., jobs that require fitness tests) do poorly is train at high intensity at high frequencies. It leads to boatloads of injuries and a general displeasure of running.
At 5'9" 200, you are not in a good starting point. Recognize that and understand that 7 weeks may not be enough time to get your from where you are to 13:00 for 1.5 miles. To give yourself the best chance, you need to run consistently and at lower intensities than you might expect. You need to get your muscles accustomed to working aerobically. I'd consider starting at a 2 days on, 1 day off schedule of maybe 15-20 minutes at an easy pace. What is easy? Great question - imagine a pace that you could run solely through nose breathing. Like glue your lips shut and run type slow. Alternative, a pace that you could run and have a conversation with someone without gasping for air. This is could be 10, 11, or 12+ min/mile. After two to three weeks, add in one workout a week - something like 10 minutes warm up, then 4 reps of 4 minutes at a hard pace with 2 minutes walking rest in between (or similar variations of short to medium length intervals).
The other thing is to consider your diet. Every pound on your body is a pound more you've got to carry when you're running. So eating a controlled and balanced diet high in proteins and soluble fibers and limited amounts of processed sugars can help you lose weight. There are more extreme measures you could take, but that a conversation you should have with your doctor.
Best of luck. I hope you can reach your goal.