Large guy needs running help.

[BaronSamedi]

Sorry for the long post...


LongER story short I was pretty much waived through the recruitment process and found out I suck at running IN basic training. I still blame myself for my ignorance in joining and not knowing much about PT, but hey I was 19 and dumb.


I'm 5'9" 220lbs, muscular. I was extremely overweight most of my childhood and teenage years until about 2010. For some reason I feel that this has some effect on my running. I quit sports in 2008 and joined in 2014. Those years in between was very slow jogging and bodybuilding and that's about it. So I really don't have the years of athletics behind me like most Soldiers do. I managed to barely pass my 2 mile run in basic and that's pretty much the story ever since when it comes to the run. I'm a strong guy, a powerlifter. I can bench press over 340lbs and deadlift over 580lbs. So I don't just sit on the couch all day. But RUNNING?!?! I'm a f****** embarrassment.


I had a mentor, SSG in my last unit had PCS'ed from Ranger STB and was helping me out, but due to the mission we were running had limited time where we could meet to work out. Ever since he just randomly told me he thought I'd be a good fit for Ranger Battalion I've been trying to improve.


I no longer hate running like I used to. I try to run 3X a week (I work 7 days a week right now) but I just have no clue what the f*** I'm doing. I don't feel like I'm getting any faster and just burning myself out for no reason. I'd like to know what some of you guys (especially any larger muscular dudes) did to get fit for Selection.


I'll be reenlisting in a few months to go to an SF Support BN. So here's my range of goals.......


25m. RUN FASTER

50m Airborne School

75m Show and prove at Group

100m SORB PT

150m Selection

200m Q Course


P.S. Should I give up weightlifting and just become a runner? I've met a lot of yoked up SOF guys during my time in Korea

 

[Lefty375]

Being a powerlifter isn't going to help you. Also, I am around your height and either you are fat with a body fat percentage of 2X % or you are on steroids with a low Fat-Free Mass Index. Neither will help you in terms of running.

I would suggest cutting because the more weight you have to carry is just going to make it harder to get fast. Everyone is different but we are the same height and I was low 170's during RASP. You will run every day and it would suck to be that big. No matter your goal, I would find a plan and stick to it. I don't like programming for myself so I would recommend something like Military Athlete's 8- week running program. Of course, most programs will be fine. Just pick one and start cutting.

Also, it was pretty normal for everyone to be at their fastest during RASP (idk about selection). People seem to put on weight after X course.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I cannot speak to anything SOF related, but I certainly can running.

Need more info:

You say you are running 3x per week. How far? In what time?

Do you have a goal?

The only way to get become a faster and stronger runner, is to get up and run. Often. No secret sauce to this one.

To add - There is a reason you see skinny Kenyon's winning marathons and not body builders.

Best of success to you.

 

[BaronSamedi]

@Lefty375 No I'm not fat nor on roids. I can post pics I'm not crazy huge but definitely not small. Either way, I'm trying to cut, but I'm broke because I work 7 days a week, don't have much time to cook or shop. But thanks I'm DEFINTELY gonna cut as soon as I can get off gate guard. I'm surprised I don't have shin splints weighing this much. I want to be at MOST 190lbs.

@Ooh-Rah usually ill do sprints 2x a week and run 1-4 miles 1x a week I can't remember the time but nowhere where they should be. But yeah. I guess I'm gonna have to put the weights down Sh*t....

 

[DocIllinois]

FWIW, I've never kept up with the training activities of Selection but I would be very surprised if weightlifting were one of them.

I would also be surprised if running at one speed or another weren't a regular task, as in most Army courses or schools or whatnot. Could be wrong about both of those things, though.

 

[Ranger Psych]

30 sec 90% full speed
30sec jog rest
45 45
60 60
increase run and slow till 2 min run, then rest is 15 sec less than run, decreasing each by 15 sec each time, max speed on the running.

Had a guy built like you probably are, dorm fridge with an attitude. Your height wont help you either, but you will get faster.

 

[BloodStripe]

Increase your distance, even if it means your per mile time also increases. Have you considered getting on a bike? If all you want to do is lose weight, you'll burn far more calories doing an hour on a bike than you will running for an hour.

 

[BaronSamedi]

I appreciate yalls help guys. I only powerlift for fun also carrying a 240 during a MOUT raid FTX in Basic Training taught me a very valuable lesson about skipping leg day lol. I guess I'll have to find a new hobby

 

[BaronSamedi]

@NavyBuyer weight loss isn't an issue to me. When I can actually have time to do so at LEAST 20lbs is going to come off. For the long distance days, what speed would you recommend I run at?

 

[commstechcorg]

I've noticed a lot of benefit from running slow... like hella slow... 11 mins slow but for 6 miles. I'm also in about the same boat, 230, strong but super slow. The long runs make me feel like I'm not just always having to push to run at all and I've dropped 45 sec on my 2 mile already. I've recently added in some 400's/800's on one day and rucking on the other endurance day.

 

[Topkick]

The only way to get become a faster and stronger runner, is to get up and run.

Yep, if you want to run faster and further, you train as you fight. I still run 4-5 days per week and my son is a varsity cross country runner. I see the best results with interval training. When I was in, I swore by the Indian run (fartlek run to be PC). It works. BLUF, you don't get fast if you don't train fast.

 

[nitrohuck]

Do yourself a favor and run until you can't see straight and are dry heaving... weights won't help you one bit at this point, you'll still keep a lot of strength as you lean out, but big guys generally don't do well in selection from what I have been witnessing.

Since it sounds like you have a solid strength background, you should probably shift your focus to calisthenics and running. If you are running less than 10mi a week you're doing yourself a huge disservice, you need to be at 15+ miles (or work up to that, don't hurt yourself right off the bat). Get to a point where holding a 6:30 pace for 4 miles is within your grasp.

This is coming from someone who wished they had done more running before entering their pipeline... you'll thank yourself later.