1.5 Mile run in 13 minutes.. food?

[Robpb]

I have a 1.5 mile run in 13 minutes to make on Saturday. I've had no notice to train for it and I'm afraid to do any hard training over the next couple days ( I'm already feeling the start of possible shin splints just from this weeks running ).

I believe I need enough endurance to maintain at the very least a 6.7 mph run to make it, 5mph is no prob ( I hope my treadmill is being accurate ) but over 6 I just know I'm going to struggle with.

As far as foods go.. what would be the best to eat the night before and in the morning before the test?

Also, are their any supplements I could take before hand to increase my endurance?

-Thanks in advance =)

 

[katzy10]

In my opinion eating a good balance of carbs and protein will be the best for you. In terms of performance you have to think in advance. What you eat as far as 2 days in advance will fuel your body on the day that you need to perform. When I have a game I usually start two days in advance. Taking in lots of vegtables, complex carbs such as brown rice and whole grains and lean meats such as chicken. The night before I would recomend some whole grain rice with some fresh green vegtables and maybe some salmon if you like it. On the day of the run I would stick to foods that you know your body can handle. You could substitute whole wheat for white bread on the morning of the run and have some peanut butter and a bannana with it. That would sit well and give you sufficent energy for the run. Also be sure to take in lots of water over the next few days to ensure that you are hydrated. As far as pre race supplements I am not so sure. I usually have a cup of coffee about an hour before competition and it gives me a little boost. If you have never tried and supplements before a run then I would certainly not start on a day when you are being tested. Anyway, hope this helps.

 

[Merkaba]

I meant to post on this earlier.

Katzy's sounds like a decent plan. Is this the only event, or the only event youre worried about? And what time is it? If its in the afternoon I would have some oatmeal and eggs or lean meat that morning. For me I like to have any decent amount of solid food undergoing digestion for a good three hours before I run. I would also warm up with like a slow half mile jog, and wouldnt start off stretching like everyone does. Thats me though. Hell If I would've warmed up properly when I ran track I probably could've shaved half a second off my hundred.

 

[KentDog]

I would suggest running 1 mile at 6.7 mph at least once or twice before the actual 1.5 mile run. As long as you're in decent cardiovascular shape, it shouldn't take long to get back into a decent mile and a half time.

As for the meal, I would just make sure to eat clean all day this week. Are you planning on eating right before your run? I would probably eat some brown rice and chicken breast half an hour before the run. And I'd eat light. Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and the day before, though don't drink too much water or your run will be a real pain in the ass.

 

[Merkaba]

As for the meal, I would just make sure to eat clean all day this week. Are you planning on eating right before your run? I would probably eat some brown rice and chicken breast half an hour before the run. And I'd eat light. Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and the day before, though don't drink too much water or your run will be a real pain in the ass.

See I couldnt do this. Well I could, but I wouldnt feel as good. chicken before running. Chicken is clean but its still not gonna be utilized much for the next hour. Again the preworkout meal thing is up to you and whether or not youre doing a whole lot of other stuff. I would run thursday, carb up a bit afterwards and take friday off.

 

[Hench]

i wouldnt stress too much on this bud, back in high school when i was like 14(and not in very good shape) we used to have a time trail where the whole year had to run 1.5miles and have their times recorded. i think i ran it in 12mins 42seconds, and at this point the only form of exercise i did was playing golf. if you are in anyway decent shape and all you have to do is run it in under 13mins i dont think you should have any real problems.

good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[mcguin]

A lot of marathon and track runners rely on heavy carbs a week to two days from competition, they swear by the energy that carbs from macaroni and breads give you...

 

[Robpb]

Thanks for the reply guys

I haven't had much time to prep for this and just from the training this week I've started to develop shin splints.. very slight tho. So I think i'll do a brisk walk tonight, eat some multi grain spaghetti/chicken and in the morning, since I won't have much time, just drink up a green smoothie with peanut butter added. ? (spinach, kale, banana, strawberry, coconut milk, agave = green smoothie + peanut butter... oh and coffee on the side lol)

Id eat heavier but I'm afraid of how much i'll have to push my self, I might puke at the end of the run. Yep, I'm not in the best of shape

 

[Thundaxat]

Your shins may be hurting because you aren't stretching enough, especially after your runs or you need new shoes.
As far as nutrition a light breakfast at least an hour before your run would work well. Since it really isn't much in terms of distance, your body will have more than enough energy to run the distance in a good time. I would be more concerned from cramping or just having to go poo.
Its a little late for training advice, but if it was me I would have done mostly sprint repeats for 800M to increase my run time. Its safe to say that almost anyone can run 2400M so increasing the speed would be the priority. Regardless, best of luck and try to crank it up by 3/4 into the run because the last bit is always taken care of by adrenaline.

 

[Phineas]

I was a long-distance runner for six years, and I learned a lot about carbs and using stored fat. The thing is, for such a short distance complex carbs aren't going to do you really any good. Glycogen burns slowly. Most runners can hold enough to last them 20 miles. Complex carbs are useful for long distances. Even in that case, it doesn't much matter what you eat the night before. Even if you eat a huge serving of pasta, by the time of the race the next day you'll have only about 20% of those carbs left. You need to stock up for about 2 weeks before. That's why you should always give a 2 week taper period before an endurance event.

As for short distances, make sure you're well balanced with all nutrients. Stock up on everything in the time leading up to your run. For the morning of, eat any breakfast you normally would, but try and eat more simple sugars. In my first marathon I drank a homemade drink of OJ, water (to thin it out), and a tiny bit of sugar in the last hour before the race (after eating my regular breakfast).

If you have time, you could also experiment with caffeine. It's not something you would want to get used to, but it can help for quick energy needs. Just don't try any drastic new methods on the day of your run. Make sure everything has been tested.

One more thing, there are energy gel packets that are useful for runners. They work best when you're beginning to lose energy, but they also help immediately before or during. They're easy to digest, as well.