running more than a mile without collapsing from exhaustion

andrewspencers

New Member
Anybody who knows anything about physical fitness, please tell me whether I have any possbility of ever completing BCT if I enlist in the Army.

It's late afternoon, the sun's about 30 degrees above the horizon, sky is mostly cloudy with scattered rays of sunshine poking through, the temperature is about 75F, humidity is about 30%. Ideal weather for a relaxed, pleasant run.
I'm a healthy 26-year-old caucasion male, about 6'4" tall, weigh about 180lbs, ectomorphic body type. My total exercise routine consists of my walking about my city about 2 to 3 miles per day. Mostly I sit in front of a computer all day.
I tried a one mile run. By the time I was 3/4 finished, I really, really wanted to quit. I managed to finish the entire mile, in 8 minutes, and then while walking home, had a bad stitch in my side for several minutes, my legs were weak and sore, and I was completely out of breath.

I understand that practice is needed in order to build endurance, but I've never heard of a healthy, non-overweight male of my age being only able to barely complete even one mile. Is it really normal to have such a severe lack of endurance, or am I unusual?
 
well wat i think is that u sould get away from the stupid computer and start working on getting fit. im 13 and about 6'1 and i can run a mile in about 7 miniuts with out being tired
 
andrewspencers, you have posted the answer to your own question. The only way to improve your run is to run. It sounds like you have a simple endurance issue, and without doing endurance workouts, that is not going to change in a hurry. There are many posts/threads in this forum about how to improve your run times, but if you have any further questions, post them and we will try to provide you with an answer.

As for finishing BCT, you should decide what you really want, and if it is the Army, then adjust your focus to one of HOW you are going to accomplish your goals, not IF.
 
honestly, you just need to work on it. when i first joined i could barely run 1.5mi, i ran it at the IST at bootcamp and i was dying. i barely crossed the finish line, it took me boot camp to be able to run 3mi. now i can run 6mi. w/o to muhc of a problem. best of luck to ya nad you just have to work on it. start off w/ a .5mi run walk .25mi, run .5mi and just start slow and dont be afraid to rest when you just start out running.
 
I agree with the others. It is a matter of persistence and determination. Get out there 2 or 3 times a week at first and run a little more each time, the increase your frequency and keep pushing your distance. It is a gradual process. Get yourself some inspirational, rhythmic music and take it along for the run. You find your lung capacity will increase and along with it, your endurance. Keep focused on small incremental improvements, you'll get there.
 
Top has the right of it. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to endurance. Just keep at it but don't try to run every day at first. Give your body time to recover. Top's right too that incremental increases in distance and speed are best.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about your lack of ability at first. I've seen many new runners experience that and plenty of them a decade younger than you.

On the flip side, I'm three decades older than you and I run at least 8 miles about 5 days a week. I've been doing it for some four decades now. I'm no superman - I just stuck with it.
 
swim
swimming increases lung capacity something awesome which will really help your running. but like all things, its going to take time and effort to change from what you are into what you need to be.

oh and "pain is good, it is weakness leaving the body" ;)
 
I have had similar issues with our BFA. which has a 2.4km run(1.5mile) in it. Theres no secret, just train.

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body", i hate that phrase, it reminds me of basic.
 
The way I did it was painful. I started football workouts my fresman year of high school with a retired Marine Corps Sgt. Major. That will toss your ass into shape or kill you. I did this for four years. Now I am an amazing specimen of a man!!! :D :rambo:
 
IMO not being over weight has nothing with shape. Im am considered over weight but in better shape than most of my freinds that are not over weight. A few years ago my resting heart rate was in the low 40's. But i was considered 30 pounds over weight. Even my doctor coulndt belive it. He said normaly i would tell you to lose weight but in your case its not nessicary.
 
What really helped we with endurance was jogging the curves and sprinting the straights. Then after a few of those I'd switch the routine. By the way, I do it on a standard track but anywhere will do. Just guess 100 meters the best you can. After a few times of doing that I was able to get my seven minute mile down to a 6 minute mile and then down to about a 5:40 mile. Also helped with my cross country time. I'd rather not say my first timed 5k was. But my best so far is 20 mins 39 secs.
 
silent driller said:
The way I did it was painful. I started football workouts my fresman year of high school with a retired Marine Corps Sgt. Major. That will toss your ass into shape or kill you. I did this for four years. Now I am an amazing specimen of a man!!! :D :rambo:

lol, i know the feeling, but my coach was a former SWAT man (no joke)

anyways, to help you (if i can) is if you run around your neighborhood, run in the grass when possible, its easier on the knees. and on the increment thing, i just concentrate on reaching the next telephone pole. but just stick with it, youd be amazed how far and how fast youll be able to run before you know it.
 
You're probably fine, at least you completed the mile. Just keep running. I would personally keep running the mile, you already did it, it'll only get easier. I'd do it every other day, maybe you could do it more often I dont know. At least every other day. It hurts, but you're gonna have to run 2 miles when ya get there and that really sucks. Maybe try increasing your distance by a lap each time, or if you've got enough time try a quarter lap to make it more gradual. Your goal should ultimately be the 2 mile +, dont think of running a mile as all you need to do man the 2 mile isnt fun then. I think a lot of people experience the urge to quit, I always do even when I was taking a physical assessment test being timed but I knew I couldnt. And if ya dont get used to doing things that hurt but you have to, you're still gonna wind up doing it then just its gonna hurt more so get accustomed to it ;)
 
u should try 6x4x6's we had to do them for bball training in uni they suck, once u can do them for 2 hours u can run anything lol they just build up endurance
 
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