Yay this is the best part of the test, and the funnest thing in the Marine Corps!!!
Insert barf emoji here.
At OCS, men need to run a sub 8-minute mile. Women need to run a sub 9-minute mile.
Just one mile? No. On plenty of sleep? Fuck no.
I ran just under an 8-minute mile as a female and was one of the slower runners. Most people get faster at OCS. I broke my foot and became slower than I already was.
A critical mistake I made? Not putting the mileage in. Before OCS, it is suggest you run around 20 miles a week. I was already passing the run on my PFT at 22:30, so I thought I was Gucci on running. WRONG. All that running is to get your body aclimated to all the running at OCS. I broke my heel and got 8 stress fractures. I hid my injuries but it was agonizing. Don't be like me. Put the mileage in. This helps with calcium build-up in your bones.
How to get better at running? Well duh, run. But you must diversify your portfolio. This was something I actually did.
The PFT is 3 miles wrong. I barely ever ran 3 miles outside my PFT. Runs I did were:
Anaerobic interval training. THIS IS THE KEY TO GETTING FASTER. Run balls to the wall, then completely recover. Rinse and repeat.
The long run - 5-6 miles: Doesn't have to be super fast, but you need to be running.
The hour jog- literally jog for an hour. This is to build up calcium. Take calcium supplements.
Gradual hills: gradual incline
Steep hills: This is my jam. These help!
Weighted runs: don't go crazy on these because you can get injured. Once a month
Boots run: If you get a pair of boots, do one of these a month. Don't let OSC be the place you find out what it's like to run in boots and trousers.
The 2 mile challenge: Once every two weeks, run a mile as fast as you can. Recovery walk, then repeat and try to get within 30 seconds of your first time. This one was fun for me.
The filler runs: Usually 4 miles. This should still be a challenge, otherwise it's a waste because it's not long and it's not super fast. Push yourself on this one.
Some people do fartlek runs but I always thought they were stupid. I feel like they don't really help. Leave that kind of suffering to OCS.
If you are just starting to run, do not go crazy the first two weeks. Gradually build up. I was a casual runner and still got a sore knee. When this happened, I stopped running for a month straight. The soreness never came back.
Absolutely have rest days. 1-2 days a week. I mean it. That's a direct order. JK.
Hydrate. Use a foam roller. Eat right. And pick out some groovy tunes.