The First Mistake
Marines, as a whole, are 5K animals. We conduct a fitness test (PFT) twice yearly that consists of deadhang pull ups, crunches, and a 3 mile run. By design we are NOT supposed to train for it. It was designed to be a "spur of the moment test" that we stay in shape for. We have also recently added a silly test that simulates "combat". That is another post all together.
Anyway, the 5K thing. Before the wars in Southwest Asia and central Asia, the Marine Corps used to train for wars that would have resembled South East Asia. Long walks in very hard terrain with a lot of crap on your back, and prolonged "humps" over long distances with even MORE crap on our backs. We also ran. Alot, but the overall goal of our running was to get a good run time on our PFT. The old Jarhead mentallity was "to run 3 miles good you need to run either 6 miles slow, or 1.5 miles fast".
This is the attitude I brought to the program until now, the best way to increase speed in a 5K is multi fold. I went out and ran for 4-8 miles every other day, or every day. The new running section of the program will be based more on the long distance runners program. I will incorporate a weekly "long run" in excess of 90 minutes at 8-9 minute mile pace for as long as possible, and maintain 12 minute mile at a minimum. I deally this run will be 13+ miles. Speed/track work will be reguarly incorporated as well. I will maintain a "core" of the exsisting program, I will just tweek it slightly. Out of 6 run days 1 will be "long", 1 will be at the track, 1 will be "hill work", and 3 will be regular 6-8 mile runs.
Its important to point out that any change in my appearance is a side effect to the program. Even though I have dropped body fat, and increased muscle mass, this is not the goal of this experiment. Functional speed and strength is the overall goal, wether at 6% bf or 30%. Faster and stronger is the only real goal, all else is irrelevant. I eat to fuel the machine and work to make the machine better.
I hear people talking about the fact that some people can’t do this, or are built for this. A guy my size can’t be a Marathon runner, ect., ect. The fact is this YOUR MUSCLES ONLY KNOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING! They cannot decipher if its running, swimming, lifting, or working. You can’t "shock" them by changing routines or increasing reps or dropping weight. Its a machine. Its like your car. It only knows to work when you tell it to. In my case, squats and a 13 mile run all suck the same for my legs, not one more than the other. Its ALL in your head. Your brain knows whats going on, your muscles can literaly continue to work indefinetly, if they run out of fuel they will begin to consume muscle fiber to continue on, only by any time near that point, your brain would have told you to **** off.
May 25, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Semper Fi from a 22 year vet of the Air Force. Looks like the Force wants to be like the Corps. Which in my mind is a real good idea. You should see the guts around here. Keep up the great work!