Improving Running Time

[Troubled_Heart]

I have 6 days to improve my 3k time... If I get it down alot then I will win this series of races and I will not settle until I win! My current time is 12.13 and I want to get it down to 11.59, that way I should win... I do sprint training once a week but I only have 1 more session before the race and I need something that will help... Basically just a way where I can run REALLY quick for a long time... Any ideas or training tips?

[Elizabeth]

Have a spoonful of local honey before you race. My swim coach swears by it and makes sure we have our spoonful before each race. He says it helps open up your lungs and stuff like that.
Good luck!!!

[dr2005]

For middle-long distance running like 3km, sprint training is limited as to how much benefit it can give - it certainly has its uses so don't give it up by any means, but over that kind of distance you're starting to get into slow-twitch muscle territory rather than fast-twitch. (Very basic sport science primer: fast-twitch muscles give you lots of explosive power but build up lactic acid quicker and therefore burn out faster, whereas slow-twitch don't give as much power per fibre but can do so for a lot longer) The best way to prime slow-twitch muscles is to increase your run distances so that it requires less energy, which will mean you have more energy towards the finish for the sprint. It doesn't need to be massively more - 4k will probably do it - but it might give you the improvement you need. To give an example, I entered a 10k run for charity and before the event I was struggling to put it mildly. My friends dragged me into a 13k run as part of my training, which I'll be honest nearly killed me as (a) it was in the winter and (b) I wasn't fit enough frankly, but it meant the 10k run on the day was a breeze.
It should be noted that you'll see more of a benefit from the above over the longer-term, but if you do more running like this it could help. As a final note, never underestimate the power of adrenalin on the day - training is one thing but I found that on race days, provided I was in the right mindset, adrenalin and nerves gave me a boost as well.

Hope some of that helps and good luck!