Is it possible to train for these two things together... and if so whats best!

There are two things I would like to train for; first is a 1.5 mile run on a treadmill, followed by press-ups and sit ups (fitness test for armed forces); the second is a 7.5km xc run in January (county champs).

I would love to be able to do well in the xc run, rather than coming last by miles. I wouldnt expect to win for a few reasons: 1) There are lots of younger people in my age group 2) I am no long distance runner, and have no talent for it whatsoever 3) I havent got time to put in the training to achived required time (30 mins!), and need to be able to do the run on the treadmill as well. However, I would like to have a go at the xc, and not come last and get beaten by all the grannies.

I can train in the gym during the week, and out running at the weekend. Runs outside during the week are a no go for a number of reasons: 1) I need to be able to run on a treadmill for the fitness test 2) Its not safe out running in my rural area, in the dark, on my own 3) I cant go "club" running, as I do not get on with the local one, and the one I am a member of is miles away from home.

I am just about to embark on a new training regime, I think of the following:

Mon Day off (too busy in gym!)

Tues Easy run on treadmill - distance to be built up over the weeks

Weds Circuit training class at local gym

Thurs Interval session on treadmill - time and speeds to be built up

Fri Practise fitness test or circuit training session

Sat Pratise fitness test if not done on friday, kettlebells and pilates class at local gym

Sun Go out for run, increasing distance and speed over the weeks.

Any comments? Does this look reasonable?

So you have four runs a week set aside for this ?
I don't see any problem really.

Training for the XC will give you a decent turn of speed for the fitness test.
You can do press ups etc every day - surely you can find 5 mins or so ?

The only problem I can see is if your test time is lots faster than you need.
I'd also not test yourself every week. Maybe at the beginning and then every 3 weeks to see how you are doing.

Is running outside really not possible ? You're joining the armed forces yet it's too dangerous to run in the dark? You can get head torches for ??15.

What distances can you do at the moment and what speeds are you at an what do you need ?

Hi, thanks for the reply. I should have said in previous post that on the run days (and kettlebell days) I will do be doing the press ups and sit ups required; they dont take five minutes

The treadmill fitness test is potentially imminent, so it's my main priority at the minute.  The test time is 13 mins 23 seconds, which is do-able with practise, but still not fast enough for me to win that XC! (I'm nearly there, couple more weeks hard graft with new training regime should bolster me up a bit!)

As you may have suspected, I am female... running alone outside in the pitch black along narrow country lanes where there are idiot drivers, and probably wierdo's doesnt really appeal. Tbh it wouldnt appeal if I was male either. Also added to the fact, I did this fitness test last year. I refused point blank to join a gym , as it was summer, and I thought they were a waste of money. Got my outdoor 1.5 mile run time to 12 mins (which I thought was pretty good!). Got on a treadmill for the first time to check that all was ok for the test, couldnt keep it up on a treadmill. Anyway, point I am trying to make is I need to practise more on the treadmill than I do outside, as there is more at stake on the treadmill, as opposed to the run out doors.

Currently, times are rubbish. XC last weekend 1.8 miles, completed in 18 minutes. Oh dear. Not what I was expecting, and has jolted me into action. Last year I did three 10K runs, all at 1 hr 15 (again my training was focused on the 1.5 mile run, not achiving 1st place in a 10k, hence rubbish times!)

1.5 mile just out on flat roads - approx 13-14 mins.

There really shouldnt be much difference between a treadmill and outside. 

I do my interval sessions on a treadmill with a 1% gradient and it feels the same as outside. If I test myself on it - it's very similar to my outdoor times. 

OK you will get hotter - but heat build up shouldnt be that much of an issue over these distances. 

Is the treadmill in the gym calibrated properly ?  Have you tried more than one - or in another gym ?  Or are your distances outside correct ?

I'd be wary of comparing CX times - the terrain and conditions make huge differences - and its a race - you're racing others - not a time. 

To get faster  - you need a good base mileage. Then you need speed sessions. 

What distances are you running for each session ? And at what pace ?

I knew I stood a fair chance of coming last in the XC, and I achived the time that I thought I would! I was very promptly left behind everyone else, so in a sense I was not really racing other people.

Past few weeks I have been working on the 13 minute run on the treadmill, trying to build up the to the speed required for my fitness test; I have got to a brick wall at 6.5 mph (needs to be 6,9 mph). So a little more effort on the endurance and interval training sessions, and I hope I will be there.

There are several treadmills in the gym, which ever one is free is used. I would think they are calibrated properly (apart from maybe the heart rate monitor, I apparantly had a heart rate of 46 last night after a two mile run that took about 20 mins!)

Distances outside correct - run off mapmyrun.com, mapmy run app on phone and Garmin GPS!

wench02 wrote (see)

There are two things I would like to train for; first is a 1.5 mile run on a treadmill, followed by press-ups and sit ups (fitness test for armed forces)....

 ....Its not safe out running in my rural area, in the dark, on my own.

Can't see you being much use in the armed forces...scared of hedgehogs and the dark, what would you have done in a trench, knee deep in mud, praying for daylight?