In the military, soldiers have to be ready to take an APFT at any time. Not only should soldiers be ready with little notice, but they should also be prepared to rock the event. For most soldiers, the hardest event is the 2-mile run because they don’t practice cardio enough, they don’t know how to prepare for running events, or they are having a hard time with breathing and feeling comfortable with the distance. It can be a trying event for many, but some of these tips can help bring a 15-minute run time down to a 14-minute run time, or even a 13-minute run time.

To reduce your run time, follow the tips below:

The Importance of Good Shoes

Good equipment is a MUST! Every soldier knows about the importance of having function equipment; it is vital in every single mission. That is why we conduct PCC’s, PCI’s, and rehearsals. We want to make sure that our equipment is functioning to standards. That is why a good pair of running shoes is important. Without a comfortable pair of kicks, your muscles, feet, and body will ache. You need to find shoes that allow comfort, that are light, and that give your feet enough room to expand and breathe. You can find a specialist to help fit your arch and foot to a particular shoe, but I recommend trying several different brands and pairs.

Go Hiking

Your body is designed to adapt to the circumstances you create in your life. Your body has to adapt to the speeds that are necessary for you to reach your target goal. You need to prepare the muscles to take on the extra intensity that it takes to run 2 miles. To do this, I recommend hiking a mountain at least a week before. I would pick something that has a good slope on the way up and a gradual slope on the way back. I like to pick a slope that is 70 degrees or more uphill for 300 meters or more, and I do this with 50 to 60 pounds in a rucksack with boots. This helps prepare your legs and heart rate for extra intensity for a run. Hike around for a mile or two with the extra weight and your legs will adapt.

Go to a Track

This allows you to measure specific distances so you can time yourself. It is important to know where you're currently at and where you want to be. Training for your run should start anywhere from a month or so prior to the event to about two weeks prior. At the track, you want to warm up, then work with sprints. The best one I have found is to walk the curves of the track and sprint the straightaways. Do this for four laps (1 mile). Try to keep your sprints at 80 percent of your maximum speed.

Run Extra Distance

The best way to build up the stamina and the endurance for the 2-mile event is to run some extra distance during the prior weeks. I would recommend doing this two to three times during the week. I would pick something between three and four miles and run that on Monday and Thursday to prepare your body for the extra distance.

Sprint Hills

Go find a large nasty hill that you can sprint up a few times. This works wonders because you peak your heart rate as you are running up the hill and you allow it to rest while you walk down the hill to do it again. Remember to maintain good form while doing this. Keep your weight on the ball of your foot and the middle of your foot to distribute your weight evenly, and to reduce impact to your knees. I would recommend doing this three days prior to the 2-mile run to expand your lung capacity.

Try Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are exercises that strengthen your capacity to get oxygen to your lungs and muscles, which reduces heart rate. I always tell the people I am training to take long deep breaths intermittently while they are running, and to shake out their arms. I also recommend doing this throughout the day to get in the habit of getting oxygen to the brain and muscles. It is a good habit to fall into throughout the day. Breath in through your mouth and hold it at the top for a few seconds, then blow out the air and repeat.

Relax or Distract Your Mind

This helps in conjunction with adequate breathing because it helps reduce the strain your mind is creating about the condition of your body. Your mind is going to keep telling you that you are tired or your muscles hurt; don’t give in. Distract it by thinking about a complex mechanical task you have learned and try to piece the task together in your mind. For example, if you have a task in your MOS that requires a great deal of mental capacity, then try to do it in your mind while you are running. Or try to contemplate a question of philosophy, culture, or society. Or think about how you could complete a level on your favorite video game faster. Find something you like and try to think about it rather than your body.

The Power of Resting

Lastly, I want to talk about the power of resting your body. Your body is an ecosystem that needs to be balanced. You have to balance your running exercises with actual recovery. I don’t run more than four times a week because my muscles lose vital recovery time if I try to run six or seven days a week. Your body has to rejuvenate itself, and it can’t do that if you’re constantly tearing the muscles without allowing adequate time for recovery. There is power in recovery; utilize it.

Now there is a lot to remember when you are running. There are a lot of things going on, whether you are aware of them or not. Your entire body is trying to interact in a way that brings balance and control over your muscles, your heart, your lungs, and your brain. Oxygen is restricted somewhat and blood flow is vital when it comes to running because it helps reduce heart rate while you are increasing intensity and speed.