How do I Run Faster 4 Mile Timed Runs?

Weekly 4 Mile Runs at BUD/S 

4 Mile Runs on the Beach

Recently, a Special Ops candidate asked me what he should do to run faster on the 4-mile timed run, a weekly test at BUD/S on sand, in boots/pants. He wondered whether he should do more tempo runs, zone two runs, or goal-pace intervals. We were already doing all of that, and all I suggested was to add a 4-mile timed run each week on our Mobility Day.  Here is why:

Pace and Fuel - When you practice a 4-mile (or 5-mile) run just once a week, you start to learn a few things, like pacing and fueling strategies.  What do you eat/drink prior to the run for best results that agree with your stomach? How do you pace the run? Do you goal pace the entire thing? Do you negative split (run easy for half / faster for half)? 

Specific Conditioning - Just like other events, (swimming 500m or 2 miles, treading 5-10 min, rucking an hour), all require some specific conditioning to master. If you do not do these regularly, you may need to make the event more of a gut check. Depending on your energy levels and how your legs feel after a tough week of training, your easy-paced run may not be that easy. 

Add Miles Each Week Progressively (10-15%)

Your number one goal is to progressively add about 15% more miles each week. You need to run 5-6 days per week before your military training starts.  Replace 1-2 of those runs with a ruck if your future training involves regular rucking. In the next 4-6 weeks, you should be able to build up to 25-30 total miles running and rucking if you are already running 15+ miles in that time frame. Of course, the secondary goal is to continue lifting, doing calisthenics, and swimming (if needed) throughout the week. No need to go super heavy on the lifts while trying to improve running times, just build some durability and work capacity so you can handle long days on your feet training and carrying gear in the field.

You should have 5-6 days of training at various levels of intensity. Some sprints, rucking, goal pace, but also zone two and non-impact cardio. In fact, adding some non-impact cardio, like hard biking, a weighted elliptical, or stair-stepping, is a good way to get twice the cardio with half the impact until you increase your running miles in a few weeks.

Here is a way to arrange your running/rucking each week: (and what we are currently doing when I recommended ONLY add in a 4 mile run day once a week)

Monday – Goal Pace Workouts – For the 1.5-mile timed run, you should be at a 6-minute-mile pace. BUT learn what a 7-minute-mile pace feels like and master it easily for the 4-mile timed run test. If you are already running a 6-minute mile for the 1.5-mile run, but struggle to get the 7-minute mile pace for the 4-mile timed run, this type of running program is for you:

This standard will put you within 4 minutes of the point at which you fail the run (32 min) in the first phase. Learn to master the pace of 7-minute miles - not slower, not faster. This is not a jog and not a sprint, but about getting a feel for what a 1:45 quarter mile and a 3:30 half mile feel like across multiple sets with minimal rest. Depending on your week of running miles progression, do 6-12 sets of 400 yd to 800 yd runs at a 7-minute mile pace:

Repeat 6-12 times
Run 400 yards at 1:45 or 800m at 3:30
- walk 50m for rest

(Or if this is a leg day, add in 20 squats and 20 lunges/leg in between each set to practice running this "slower" pace on tired legs. )

Warm up and cool down with a mile run or a 10-minute bike ride, depending on your weekly mileage.

Tuesday – Mix of zone 2 warmup for 10 minutes, then do sprints of 10-15 sets of 100m/100m. We usually run this at a track with bleachers for an additional challenge.

Jog 1 mile or bike 10-minute warm-up / Stretch as needed.  

Repeat 10 times (progressively get faster each set)
Run 100m fast
Jog 100m easy
- rest 30 seconds (as this gets easier each week reduce the rest to 10 seconds max)

Run 10 minutes of bleachers (up fast / down easy)

Jog 1 mile or bike 10-minute cooldown

Wednesday – Non-impact Cardio Day (Mobility Day Walk-Through Video)

Try a mobility day with five sets of 5 minutes on the bike, row, or elliptical at a moderate to easy pace. Then do 5 minutes of stretching/foam rolling. This 50-minute workout is a great way to recover from the miles you run as you progress each week. You can add in some swimming or other non-impact cardio later in the day as well. Rest from lifts or calisthenics as well.  As you progress through the weeks, you can add a 4-mile timed run prior to the mobility day session. This is a good specific measure for you (see why specifics matter in this video - first 5 minutes)

These last three stretches help with Treading Mobility too!

Thursday – Goal Pace / Longer Sets - Warm-up with an easy 10- 20-minute bike. Add another goal-pace mix day. This time, do some 6-minute mile-paced 400m or 800m for 4 sets. Then do the same with a 7 minute mile pace 800m or 1 mile repeats for 3-4 sets. Rest fully with 100-200m walks/stretches. 

Friday – Make Running Harder Day – Find hills, bleachers, or soft sand, and do a mix of steady warm-up and cool-down miles (1-2 total), then build up to 2-3 miles at increased speed and pace to push through the hills, steps, or soft sand.

Saturday - Easy Run - If you have some miles still in the tank, do these at a steady-paced zone 2 level. Easy conversational pace. If not, do the same on a bike, elliptical, or stair stepper for 20-30 minutes. If you skipped any miles running this week, you can make them up today by replacing them with either a 10-minute bike, row, elliptical, or ruck for every mile you missed in your planned total weekly mileage goals. 

IN THE END: We only added the 4-mile timed run on mobility days for the next 6 weeks. We were already doing all of the above, but just by adding that specific test, he went from 29:30 to 27:30 and is still running that pace each week at BUD/S. 

There is More To StewSmithFitness.com than You May Know

Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit StewSmithFitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success in many special ops-level selection programs in the military and police world.