One Mile Army Test: Training for 1.6km in 5:45

I want to join the army. I need to do this one mile test: 1.6 km in 5 min 45 sec is needed. Now I have one year to practice. How many km should I do every day?

– Arnab, Kolkata, India

Answer by Dom:
Hi Arnab, thanks for writing in — and a full year in advance is exactly the right approach. It gives us genuine time to build you up properly rather than scrambling at the last minute. I'm going to assume you're starting from a low base right now, which means we have some real work ahead, but twelve months is more than enough.

Before I break this down, one thing worth knowing: the 1.6km test is scored in two groups. Finishing in under 5 minutes 30 seconds earns Group I — the top score. Finishing between 5:31 and 5:45 earns Group II. You've asked about passing, and 5:45 is the pass mark — but with a year to prepare, I'd like you to aim for Group I. It's only 15 seconds faster and the training path is the same. Let's target 5:30.

To run 1.6km in 5:30, you need to sustain roughly 3:26 per kilometre — which works out to about 82 seconds per 400m lap. For 5:45 it's around 86 seconds per 400m. Keep those numbers in your head. They will come to matter a great deal in your final months of training.

Here is how I'd structure the year:

1. Build your running base — the foundation that makes everything else possible
2. Add speed work — intervals and tempo runs tuned to your goal pace
3. Test yourself and prepare for the full physical — run, pull-ups, ditch, and balance

Build Your Running Base — First Six Months

The single most common mistake I see in people preparing for a short fitness test is this: they skip the base and go straight to fast running. Don't do that. Your body needs a solid aerobic foundation before it can handle speed work safely, and building that foundation takes time — three to six months of consistent, fairly easy running.

Start by running four times a week. In the first few weeks, thirty minutes of easy running per session is enough. If you can't run for thirty minutes straight yet, that's fine — use a run/walk approach, alternating two minutes of running with one minute of walking. Keep at it until you can run thirty minutes non-stop. Check out the Base Running Drills page for more information on why easy running forms the core of any good training plan.

From month two onwards, start to build your distance. The goal by the end of month six is to be running 6–10 kilometres per session comfortably, four times a week. "Comfortably" means you could hold a conversation. If you're gasping, you're going too fast. Slow down — there will be plenty of time for fast running later.

I also recommend doing Strength Training for Runners three days a week throughout this period. Since you're training for the army, you'll need pull-ups and functional strength alongside the running. Combining one strength session and one running session on the same day — morning and evening — means you can still take one full rest day a week. Your body needs that recovery.

Add Speed Work — Months Seven to Nine

Once you can run 6–10 kilometres four times a week without difficulty, it is time to add speed. This phase begins roughly in month seven and lasts about three months. You are not abandoning easy running — most of your sessions stay easy. But you're adding one or two harder sessions per week.

Start with Fartlek sessions. These are informal speed bursts mixed into an easy run — for example, run hard for 30 seconds, easy for 90 seconds, and repeat for twenty minutes. They get your body used to faster effort without the rigid structure of intervals.

After three or four weeks of Fartlek, move on to proper Interval Running. Here are the specific sessions I'd build towards:

• 8 × 200m, each in around 40–42 seconds, with 30 seconds rest
• 4 × 400m, each in around 82–86 seconds, with 90 seconds rest
• 2 × 800m, each in around 2:50–3:00, with 2 minutes rest

Those 400m repetitions at 82–86 seconds are the most important. That is your race pace. Do them once a week and get comfortable with that effort. Add a weekly Tempo Run on a separate day — about 20 minutes at a comfortably hard pace, faster than easy but not sprinting. Your two easy runs stay easy. This four-session mix — easy, easy, intervals, tempo — is a tried and tested approach for this kind of distance.

Test Yourself and Train for the Full Physical

From month four onwards, test yourself on the 1.6km distance once a month — not more. It takes time for training to convert into improved times, and testing yourself every week or two is demoralising and counterproductive. Once a month gives you a realistic read on where you stand and tells you whether you need to adjust your training.

The 1.6km run is not the only physical element of the army test, Arnab. You'll also need to clear the 9-foot ditch — a running jump across a trench, using a short run-up rather than jumping from a standstill — and complete the zig-zag balance test. Neither is complicated, but both need practice. Work jump training — a running long jump off a short approach — into your strength sessions a couple of times a week. For the balance test, single-leg balance drills and agility ladder work will prepare you well.

Pull-ups matter too. The army requires a minimum of six consecutive pull-ups to qualify. With a year to train, there is no reason you can't reach ten or more — and a higher score here can offset a slower run time if needed. Work pull-ups into every strength session from day one.

For your diet: keep it straightforward. Eat proper meals, cut out junk food, and make sure you are getting enough protein to support the training load. You don't need anything exotic — just consistent, sensible eating. The day before your test, rest completely. No running, no strength work. Arrive at the test rested, hydrated, and calm.

You have given yourself the best possible gift here — time. Use it wisely and you'll pass this test comfortably. Best of luck, Arnab.
Kind regards,
Dom

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