Need advice, exam run tomorow..

[Ibringthepwn]

Yes, this might be a little pathetic that I struggle running 3km in under 20 minutes. I'm worried that I will not pass my class and I'm unsure of what to do. Can anybody give me tips to achieve the fastest possible time? It is very much appreciated.

EDIT: Did it today and passed, thank you all very much for the advice!

[Laxzal]

Yes, this might be a little pathetic that I struggle running 3km in under 20 minutes. I'm worried that I will not pass my class and I'm unsure of what to do. Can anybody give me tips to achieve the fastest possible time? It is very much appreciated.

Erm, well I don't know about fastest possible time, but I do believe if you want to make it under 20 minutes you shouldn't go full out at the start of the run (Obvious I know) and take deeps breaths while running. Do not do shallow breaths, your muscles need the oxygen.

OR

Starting now, go Forrest Gump style and run all over America (Or the country you live in) and by tomorrow you will be insanely fit ^_^

Goodluck!

[Deleted]

Just keep your breath constantly.
And don't go all out in the begining. Spread it over the 3km.

[Ibringthepwn]

Erm, well I don't know about fastest possible time, but I do believe if you want to make it under 20 minutes you shouldn't go full out at the start of the run (Obvious I know) and take deeps breaths while running. Do not do shallow breaths, your muscles need the oxygen.

OR

Starting now, go Forrest Gump style and run all over America (Or the country you live in) and by tomorrow you will be insanely fit ^_^

Goodluck!

I don't actually go full out at the start, I usually do a medium-paced jog until the point I need to walk and catch my breath. A main problem is that I often receive cramps in my lower chest area which make running difficult for me :l. Thank you for the advice though! :]

[Rec]

3km in 20 minutes equates to 9km/h. Average walking speed is ~5km/h. Even if you're exhausted, and feel like you can't go farther, at least walk. Eat as many carbs as you can the night before the race, and drink lots of water the day of. Don't eat any solid food for three hours before the run, just water. If the run is long (eg. 1hr), you'll need something like a banana mid way through.

Otherwise, not much you can do really... improving your cardiovascular fitness doesn't happen overnight, obviously. Get in shape, it's worth it.

Edit: just read your post above. For some people, it helps to add rhythm to their breathing. Eg. 2 quick, small breaths, one large one. Another way is to breathe twice through the nose, then twice through the mouth. Repeat.

[Ibringthepwn]

3km in 20 minutes equates to 9km/h. Average walking speed is ~5km/h. Even if you're exhausted, and feel like you can't go farther, at least walk. Eat as many carbs as you can the night before the race, and drink lots of water the day of. Don't eat any solid food for three hours before the run, just water. If the run is long (eg. 1hr), you'll need something like a banana mid way through.

Otherwise, not much you can do really... improving your cardiovascular fitness doesn't happen overnight, obviously. Get in shape, it's worth it.

Edit: just read your post above. For some people, it helps to add rhythm to their breathing. Eg. 2 quick, small breaths, one large one. Another way is to breathe twice through the nose, then twice through the mouth. Repeat.

Alright, I'll give it a try. Thanks for the advice :]

[Spinz]

You should not have a problem at all passing that test, unless you are heavily out of shape or obese. Save your energy is the best advice I can give you. Do an easy start, and push for the end. FYI over here (that being Norway) we have the same test, or well somewhat the same. Run as long as you can for 12mins, 2700meters grants the best "grade". Thats the Cooper-test borrowed from the US army.

[Deleted]

2600m is somewhat easy on Cooper-test which is 12mins, so 3k in 20mins should be no problem. Some people even run over 4000m on Cooper.

[Rec]

How did it go btw?

[saberon]

- Pace yourself. You should keep one constant pace for the entire run.
- Breathe through your nose. It warms up the air and introduces Nitrogen into your system, allowing your lungs to extract oxygen far my easily. More Oxygen = More Oxygen to your Muscles
- Quick, shallow breaths are shit. You don't breathe in enough air, and, as you don't breathe out all the air in your lungs either, you can't breath in enough air. Moderate the pace of your breathing, and make sure you breathe out. Personally, I like to breath in/out at 80'ish% capacity, and take a few 100%'s if I feel my heart is starting to work too hard.