Training Advice to Improve Running Time?

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hey guys,

so quick info I have started TRT about 4 weeks ago, I take .25mg 3x a week as well as HCG at 35units 3x a week. I started TRT as I have been training for academy. I am 32 years old, weight of 210lb and height 5’11. I have already been training for about 6 months but kept getting injuries from running. I was also having a hard time dropping my weight. I got down to 190 before starting TRT but jumped right back up to 210. my testosterone was 170 and 5.8 the last blood work so obviously getting on trt to raise that and avoid injuries was the way to go.

I know running and high testosterone isn’t the best mix but I do already feel better, less injuries and quicker recovery times. my goal for the academy is 1.5miles at 15:58, which really shouldn’t be that hard to do. before I started TRT my PT time was 16:20. I ended up getting a strain in my calve and got the flu twice since. my run today was at 18:15 but my legs felt great after.

does anyone have advice for me to improve my times? I normally run every other day and do some kind of cardio on the off day like cycle or elliptical. I am also doing basic calisthenics like pushups, sit ups, and squats. I do meal prep which ends up being lean meats like chicken breast, rice and vegetable for the diet. no junk food but caffeine is a vice of mine. I have until august to get into the academy but one month to bring my time back down to 16, if I cannot get back down to low or mid 16 or I am out of a job.

so if anyone has any training advice for me that would be awesome. I need to improve my pace as my distance has improved.

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Most people overstride with a slow cadence. Form changes can help, cadence up to 180 steps/min is a good starting point which usually results in a shorter stride.

A good way to set up your workouts would be a long run, tempo run and some type of interval each week.

Very general recommendations but here’s a starting point, I’d stay at the low end of mileage especially if you’re injury prone.

  1. Long run 3-5 miles at a pace where you could still have a conversation
  2. Tempo run at 30-45 seconds per mile slower than your current 1.5 mile pace, for 2-3 miles. Using current pace is important, don’t want to use your PR pace when you’re out of shape
  3. I usually prefer intervals done as fartleks with 1min on/1 min off. 1min on at a pace slightly faster than your goal pace, it’s not a sprint. 1 min off at an easy pace, should be close to long run pace or a little slower
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I want to improve my mile time simply for “fun,” and would also like my 5k and 10k times to be closer to what they were in high school, so what my old XC coach recommended was something like this:

Day 1: distance…5-6 mi

Day 2: 8 x 400m, or if on a treadmill, 8 x 1:00-1:30…equal recovery time

Day 3: 4 x 600m, or if on a treadmill, 4 x 3:00…equal recovery time

It wasn’t exactly that (I don’t have my notes with me), but it was pretty close.

I’m not doing exactly that; after realizing just how out of shape I am in, and some suggestions by other posters, I am doing this:

Day 1: run 1 mile, add .5 miles biweekly. Will probably cap that at about 6-6.5 miles. I see no need to go further than that unless I want to do a really long race - my endurance should be just fine if I can run 6.5 miles, eventually in under an hour.

Day 2: run 4 x 400m, add 1 more 400m biweekly, up until 8 x 400m.

Day 3: run 2 x 600m, add 1 more 600m biweekly, up until 4 x 600m.

I just am giving myself plenty of time to adjust to things. Only a couple weeks into it, but I’m feeling good. It’s already feeling a tiny bit easier.

Add in a lower body session once a week with some low back/ab assistance, I think my running performance will be just fine by the end of the summer.

Sorry, doesn’t help you a ton, but it’s just a suggestion. I think a similar plan, scaled up to your abilities could probably help. It’s similar to @loganator’s plan, but his sounds smarter, haha.