Should I have somebody timing me or just run? Also, do you guys think I should practice with the exact distance I'm going to have to do or should I go further so when I have to do it for real it will be easier?
Thanks again
Well, let me give you several bits of advice before you raise your hand.
First, why the Marines? What do you want to do? I am not trying to talk you out of this, just make sure you pick the branch for the right reasons is all.
I always encourage everybody to talk to all the recruiters first. See what they have to offer, then take your ASVAB. It does not matter who you take it with, everybody takes the same test. Then once you have your ASVAB, go and talk to the 2 or 3 recruiters that interested you the most. You might even be able to play one off of the other a bit. After all, they mostly are salesmen and in this case you are the product that needs to be sold.
Next, start practicing the ASVAB test. They sell study books, and there are several tests on-line to help you improve your score. This is very important, because the higher your score, the more chances for jobs you will have. Especially in the Corps, where many more enter under "Open Contract" (no set job assignment) then in any other branch. If you have high schores, you are much less likely to become a cook or truck driver.
For conditioning, I always suggest the same thing. Endurance is much more important than speed, so work on that first. Since the Corps uses a 3 mile test, run 4 miles. Do it 3-5 times a week, your goal being to run the entire distance without stopping, no matter what your speed is. Do not worry about having to slow to a walk at first, but each time try to make it at a point farther along, and walking for shorter and shorter distances. Then once you can run it non-stop (should be 2-4 weeks), start working on increasing your speed. Then once you are comfortable running 4 miles non-stop in 30 minutes or less, go back to 3 miles and work on getting that time as low as possible. But at least 1 time a week, continue with the 4 mile run. Once you have the endurance to do 3-4 miles, the speed will quickly follow. And remember, you will get tons of PT once you are in training. The idea is not to be able to do an 14 minute 3 mile before you leave, it is simply to be able to do the runs faster and easier than everybody else.
For pull-ups, just do as many as you can before and after you run. Remember, the minimum there is only 3, so if you can do 10 at the start you will already be ahead of the curve.
And once or twice a week practice walking. Do not worry about weight, but get to where you can walk 5 miles in an hour, non-stop, stretching your legs as far as possible and
not breaking into a jog. Marching with a pack ("humping" in the Marines, "Rucking" in the Army) is more about practice than anything else. Learning how to stretch your stride as much as possible to preserve your energy is critical in this. And trust me, your calves will be screaming after 1/2 mile or so, but just walk through it. After a bit you will find that you do not even notice the pain anymore.
In boot camp, the longest hikes are generally 6-10 miles, and at a fairly moderate pace. The 20+ mile hikes in 8 hours or less are not really seen unless you are assigned to an Infantry unit (in an Infantry unit,
everybody hikes, no matter what their MOS is).
Ask your recruiter for an Essential Skills booklet, and start to memorize it. If you join the Marines, one of the hardest things is going to be the 11 General Orders, and memorizing all of the Navy and Marine Corps ranks (both officer and enlisted). Once again, do not worry about getting it all down before you go, but any advantage you have before you go will make it easier once you are in training.
