Q&A for How to Run a Faster 1500M

I don't know if it's necessarily realistic, but you could certainly improve your flexibility and movement. In any case, you aren't going to hurt anything by trying to push yourself to improve your speed.

It helps your muscles recover after a long or difficult run. Keep in mind, you don't need to fill the tub up all the way with ice. Just pour yourself a cool bath and throw 1-2 bags of ice in there.

Get a good coach. You need someone who can analyze your running technique and point out areas where you can improve. A good coach will also know the drills you need to improve various aspects of your running technique.

Most racers advise doing everything you can to maintain a lead position. If however you lose it, maintain your pace and keep an eye on the leaders, moving forward when they do. Position yourself as close to the second lane as possible. You may have to save your come-back for the last 200-300 meters and plan to clear the field on the final corner. Talk to your coach about your race performance and observe race footage taken by an observer so you can analyze your performance and identify where you can improve your strategy.

No. Drink some fluids an hour before the race, then visit the bathroom shortly before you run. Save the Gatorade for after the race.

Run a couple of 400m sprints and practice sprinting at the end but then also mix in some 800m and 100m sprints. Make sure to do them differently so that your body does not get used to it because it will slow you down if it gets too habituated. After a while, run some 1500m lengths if you're up for the challenge.

It's not the best idea. Caffeine makes you energetic at first, but after some time, you will crash and become even more tired than before you drank it, especially if you take your coffee with a lot of sugar. It's best to stick with water and a healthy snack just before starting your run. Also, take plenty of water with you to keep hydrated.

I find it helpful to envision some sort of personal (or not) competition with whoever is in front of you (or close behind you). Just say to yourself, "I'm going to get to (this certain point) before that person does." Then you're past that person and on to the next one - and when you get to the end, try to beat whoever's in front of you!

Do speed intervals (6 X 200m at 90 percent, 4 X 300m at 80-85 percent) along with short hills, up to and no more than three times a week. Do long runs once or twice a week. Practice pacing yourself! Also, take two rest days per week -- on those days, rest, swim, bike, etc.

Eat carbohydrates for energy.

No, your body needs good fuel in order to produce good results. Limit your intake on processed/ junk foods, and try to eat healthy, organic food as fuel.

Getting fit is going to increase your chances of doing better by far. Scrap all the junk food and go for healthy options. Remember, a nourished body is going to make it way easier to run than a fat-laden one. Drink enough water before and after the race. You should eat carbohydrates before a race for enough energy and eat enough proteins for the repairing of tired cells and muscles.

Start practicing! Run around your block. Run 10-20 minutes per day, four times a week. At the end of your run, do short sprints/accelerations.

That's a very good time. You can bridge the gap by correcting your form, pre-race planning, proper stride length, and above all, determination to get a better time.

A boy aged 11-14 should have a mile time of 6:45 minutes. A boy aged 15-17 should have a mile time of 5:45 minutes.

Don't push yourself too hard at the beginning of the race. Discover for yourself a steady pace you can maintain for the first three-and-a-half laps. Then you can push yourself harder in the final half-lap.

Focus on eating well and sleeping well. During training, give it your all, focus on your goal, and try to push yourself!

It's all about the miles you put in. Speed takes practice but endurance takes time.

An excellent running time for the 1500m for a 16 year old boy is 4 minutes; 4.20 is good and 4.40 is average.

Try to breathe as comfortably as you can. It is best if you breathe at a rhythm rather than inhale way too much at once, causing your body to want to slow down. Try to inhale quick, exhale quick, inhale quick, exhale quick, etc., but don't make it so you don't get enough oxygen! Some runners breathe at a rhythm of little inhale, little inhale, then bigger exhale, but it's just how their bodies respond to the situation.

A pacemaker (or a rabbit) is someone that is at the front and often dictates how fast the race will be. If you are the pacemaker yourself you will have much more control over the speed of others.

Add a few hundred meters extra when you practice to develop stamina. Pace yourself, the beginning of your race also matters a lot for the last 300 meters.

Breathe as normally as possible. If it is easier for you to take a breath every few steps, try that. If you are having trouble breathing during your race, make sure to keep your head up. Keeping your head up gives you a sense of where you are, allows you to breathe more easily and could keep you more aware of what is around you.

Unless you're competing in an earlier event, you should actually rest (i.e., avoid strenuous activities) all day before the race.

No, it probably means you ran at the right pace throughout. If you can actually sprint at the end, that means you probably didn't run most of the race fast enough. Regardless of your pace, however, the ultimate goal is to use up the last of your energy as you pass the finish line.

This varies from person to person, because of height, fitness level, weight and muscle build. Typically, anywhere from eight to 12 minutes is good, although 13 to 15 minutes is also considered a healthy time.

To get better leg strength and pace, I would recommend running longer distances on your easy days (such as 3km, 4km, or 5km) also make sure to work on sprinting workouts on your hard days (such as: 200m, 400m, 800m, latter workouts and 400 or 800m repeats).

If you want to run a faster 1500, I would recommend running longer distances on your easy days such as 3ks, 4ks, 5ks at an easy jog and working on speed on your hard days, such as 200m, 400m, 800m latter workouts or repeats. Run hard every other day and run easy on the other days. Also, make sure to take off a day from running at least once a week.

No, track is not considered a contact sport. When you are running races you are in lanes around people but most of the time there is no contact involved in running or track. It's an individual sport.

Keep practicing, you'll need to get past your plateau so you can improve. Try to train more often, for example, run for a long period of time at least once a week.