Improve My Running Time to 10:30min for 1.5 Miles

I weigh 97kg and have a height of 184cm. Any time I run I suffer from shin splints. My run time for a 1.5 mile race is 12:59 mins.

I need to get it down to under 10.30 min for the same distance.

What can I do to prevent the shin splints and what running schedule should I use to reduce my run time to under 10.30 min and reduce my weight to 80–85kg in 2–3 months?

Thank you.

– Christopher, London, England

Answer by Dom:
Hi Chris, thanks for your questions. You've given me a lot to work with here. Three challenges at once: shin splints, a significant time improvement, and weight loss. They're all connected, and tackling them in the right order makes each one easier. Here is the plan:

1. Deal with the shin splints first, they're the most urgent problem
2. Build a safe running base
3. Weight loss and speed: how they connect

1. Deal With the Shin Splints First

Whenever it comes to medical issues, I'd recommend to get specialists involved, e.g. a doctor or physical therapist for a proper diagnosis and the right treatment protocol.

Assuming it is shin splints you get, if you get shin splints every time you run, the problem is not going to solve itself by running more. You need to change something. At 97kg (about 214 pounds), the impact forces on your shin bones (the tibia) with every running stride are significant, and running on hard tarmac amplifies this considerably.

The first change: run on soft surfaces. Grass in a park, a rubber running track, or a treadmill: any of these reduce the impact load substantially compared to pavement. If you can only run in London with access to parks, use them. This one change can noticeably reduce the load on your shins. Have a look at the Shin Splints page for a fuller explanation of the causes and treatments.

The second change: get your running shoes fitted by a specialist. I don't know what you're currently wearing, but a shoe without sufficient cushioning or with the wrong level of support for your gait can contribute heavily to shin splints. A proper fitting at a running shop, where they watch you run and recommend accordingly, is worth every pound.

I always buy my shoes at my local running store with a proper fitting and treadmill test. It makes all the difference.

One thing to look out for is whether the shoe fits like a glove. Once I am down to choosing between two pairs, I wear a shoe of one pair on the right foot and of the other pair on the left and go on their treadmill. The shoe I don't feel wins over the shoe I do. When you feel a shoe on a treadmill in 30 seconds, imagine how much you feel it 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes into a run.

The third change: add two simple strengthening exercises to your routine and do them daily. They take five minutes, and many of us find they help us handle running better.

Calf raises: standing on the edge of a step, lower your heels below the step and rise up on your toes, three sets of fifteen. They work the calf muscles, which take a share of the load every time your foot lands.

Tibialis anterior raises: sitting in a chair, tap your toes repeatedly for thirty seconds. They work the muscle that runs alongside the shin bone.

If your shin splints flare during training, replace that running session with cycling or swimming rather than running through the pain. Cross-training (cycling or swimming, for example) on non-running days keeps your fitness building without adding more load to already-stressed legs.

2. Build a Safe Running Base

Once the shin splints are under control, or at least managed, you can start building your running consistently. To begin with, I'd recommend a run/walk approach: short stretches of running broken up by walking, with the running stretches getting longer over time. The Beginner Running Programs on this site give you a structured week-by-week build-up that handles this well.

Run four times a week. Keep two of those sessions genuinely easy: 20 to 30 minutes at a pace where you can hold a conversation. These easy sessions are not "too slow to count." They build your aerobic fitness (how well your heart and lungs keep you going) and give your legs time to adapt to the repetitive stress of running. If you go too fast on these runs, you increase injury risk without getting much additional fitness benefit.

A word on realistic expectations, Chris: improving from 12:59 to 10:30 on the 1.5 miles in two to three months is a very large ask, especially with shin splints to manage and meaningful weight to lose. It can happen, but everything needs to go right. A more realistic target for two to three months of good consistent training might be 11:30 to 12:00. From there, with another block of training, you can push toward 10:30. I'd rather set you up for success than have you feel like you've failed when you've actually made great progress.

Once your shins are managed, if you’d like the running laid out week by week around your test date and a realistic target, my 1.5 mile run training plan page shows how AceTheTest, the plan generator I built, does that. It’s free to start.

3. Weight Loss and Speed: How They Connect

Here's the good news: when you are overweight, every pound you lose will generally improve your running time. Less weight means less effort for the same pace. It also means less load on your shins with every stride, so weight loss helps your shin splint problem too. These goals are aligned, not competing.

Losing 26-37 pounds (12-17kg) in two to three months is a lot. And through exercise alone it is simply not realistic. Running burns calories, but the deficit from running four times a week doesn't produce that kind of result in that timeframe without significant dietary change. Diet does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to weight loss. As a rough guide (the exact figure varies from person to person), at your weight a mile of running burns somewhere around 100 to 135 calories, which is a small dent against the size of the deficit you need. Check out the Running for Weight Loss page for more on combining the two.

The dietary basics: cut alcohol completely. Cut processed food and sugary snacks. Eat proper meals: protein at every meal to support muscle recovery, plenty of vegetables, and adequate carbohydrates to fuel your training. No big secrets. No magic system. Consistent, sensible eating alongside consistent, sensible training is the combination that works.

You're some way from your goal today, Chris, but with the right approach you will improve considerably over the next three months. Get the shin splints managed, build your base safely, and let the weight come off through training and diet. Everything else follows from that.

Your next step: this week, move your runs to grass or a treadmill and book your shoe fitting. If your shin splints don’t settle, see a doctor or physiotherapist before you increase your running.
All the best,
Dom

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