Improve Time of 3 Mile Run for Soccer in Less Than a Week

I am a healthy, fit 16 year old with body fat 9%. I have to run 3 miles in 21 minutes for Varsity soccer and my best time is 21:30.

I have to improve in 1 week. I practice soccer every day for 2-3 hours so hard to work extra running in.

How can I improve?




Answer by Dominique:


Hi there,
Thank you for your question about running your 3 mile test.

Sorry to say, but in one week there is not a hell of a lot you can accomplish. I would make sure you take a rest day or two before your test.

2-3 hours of training every day will wear you out. Some rest might just help get you over the line.

Not that it is going to help you much, but a three mile test for soccer is absolutely ridiculous. Sure, endurance is important in soccer, but it is a whole lot more about being able to do short sprints and to be able to run with the ball than anything else.

Johan Cruyff, one of the all-time greats, flat-out refused to do anything having to do with distance running when he was playing!

He simply said that it was not going to make him a better soccer player, so he refused to waste his time doing it.

Not sure if a 16-year-old can play that same card though... :)

So, with regards to your test: rest at least two days before your test and try to run the test as evenly as possible. Going out too fast in the beginning will make you lose 30 seconds at the end easily. The trick is to run hard, but at a pace at which you are able to go the full 5k without having to slow down much.

Instead of 2-3 hours of soccer you are probably best of trying to do some 1 mile repeats at 7 min / mile, so you get used to that speed.

Best of luck.
Hope you make it.
Cheers,
Dominique

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