Last Minute Training for the 3200

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Last Minute Training for the 3200

I am an 11 year old boy.
I have been training for the 800m during this spring's track season. Recently I was asked to run in a 3200 metres race. To qualify I had to run 7 laps in under 12 minutes, which I did. I finished in 11:30. Now I have one week to train for this race.

Could you please help me with some ideas. My lap times were about 1:38-1:40, I would like to get it down to about 1:30. I know I haven't got a lot of time, but anything that you could suggest would be great!
Thanks

Answer by Dominique:

Thanks for your question young man.
I do not want discourage you, but unfortunately there are not many quick fixes in life. Your current fitness sounds pretty awesome and that means that shaving 70-80 seconds of your goal time would require at least a few months, possibly a year of good training.

You have done well in your qualifying race. You cannot change anything in the last week. Just maintain your current training as it is and just enjoy the race. A race often brings out that little extra in many people. Maybe you will run faster than you have done in your qualifier.
I hope you will do well.

Best of luck and do not stress too much about it. It is a great result to qualify for such a long race if you have been training for a much shorter distance. Just enjoy your running...

Cheers,
Dominique

Comments for
Last Minute Training for the 3200

Click here to add your own comments

Pretty tough question
by: Dominique

Hi Brooks,
Thanks for your additional question.
I am sorry in advance that I am not going to be much help, but I don't feel qualified to answer your question. When I started answering questions on my site I decided on a few basic rules for myself, one of of them is to never provide detailed advice to young runners.

Not to annoy you, but because I don't want to make a mistake and have your parents come after me with a vengeance....
In the next year, if you haven't started already, you might suddenly start growing which might require some adjustments of your expectations....
Now that you have taken up this interest in running, you might be overdoing it and get yourself injured...

Lots of complications there which I need to avoid. However, I can advise you to read through the articles in my running training section and pick up a book like Daniel's Running Formula. The latter contains a pretty well defined general running program template for a 3,200m race.

Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Dominique (website owner)

no more last minute training!
by: Brooks

Thanks for your reply last spring.
Now that I have more time... in preparation for the same 3200m race that will take place in May 2009, could you recommend a training routine for me. I have access to a small indoor track and a tread mill for winter training. I have been working out all summer-trying to do some circuit training and some running.
I would like to get my time down to at least 1:30 per lap.
Remember, I am 11 years old.

Thanks
Brooks

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Running Training Helpline

Running to Lose Weight?

Do you have 10 pounds that you just want to get rid of so that you can fit into that bathing suit that you are dying to wear?

Are you looking for a way to jump start a diet so that you can get to the weight that is best for you?

Are you tired of promises from pills and potions that promise to take that weight off easily but do not work?

Are you sick of seeing ads to help you take off weight if only you pay a small fortune for a membership in some club, special food or some drug?

If so, then CLICK HERE for the no-nonsense weight loss solution that actually works.

Check out The 100 Day Marathon Plan

100 Day Marathon Plan from Marius Bakken presents a welcome fresh training approach to marathon running that has proven to be very effective. It's the best marathon training program available today.

Marius has competed in the Olympics and has trained with world-class athletes from Italy and Kenya. He has learnt from these runners and has made those training methods applicable to marathon training programs for normal people like ourselves. This marathon plan prepares you well for a marathon by first focusing on 5k and 10k training. Only when you are ready Marius moves on to marathon training.

Want to get ready for a marathon within 100 days?
Then you need to give the 100 Day Marathon Plan a try.

Click here for more information about the 100 Day Marathon Plan.