Five Quick Fix Running Mistakes

Once a year every command in the Navy conducts a Physical Health Assessment. This PRT includes, among pushups and situps, a 1.5 mile run. While observing many PRT’s at many commands there are always a few common 1.5 mile run mistakes that stand out.

First, the biggest 1.5 mile run mistake that non-runners make is they start off much too fast and then burn out 1/3 way through. Nearly every PRT run there will be a group of young guys who take off at a dead sprint once the gun goes off. This fast group causes the remainder of runners to feel abnormally slow causing them to run faster then they normally should.

Clearly this is good for no one. Starting off too fast depletes your sugar level, reduces your energy and makes the rest of the run miserable. However, this is a very easy mistake to correct. You need to start the run with a buddy. Find a buddy who is a consistent runner with a steady pace. Plan on staying with this buddy for the first two to three minutes of the race; just enough time to get your pace down.

After the first few minutes of the PRT, the leaders would have the pack will of slowed down, the leaders would of burnt off most of their energy and you’ll be able to start passing them.

Second, wear a good pair of running shoes. Basketball shoes, converts, or vans are not designed for running. Furthermore, they are heavy and have much less cushion and bounce than shoes designed specifically for running.

Third, spend a few days resting before the PFA. Trust me, running 3 miles, knocking out 100 pushups, or working on your situps the night before is only going to hurt you. Most professional runners train hard, and then spend the week before a big race relaxing, stretching and doing easy workouts.

Fourth, spend a bit of time warming up before the fitness test. Rolling out of bed, driving to work and then going directly from your car to the PRT is a bad plan. Get to the testing site 20-30 minutes early, do some light pushups and situps, and then take a slow jog in preparation for the run.

Finally, you’ve got to tie your shoes before the run. Every PFA you’ll see one or two runners who stop, tie their shoes, and waste valuable time. Tie your shoes tight and don’t get delayed.

Good luck and run strong! If you have any other “quick fix solutions” please leave me
feedback.