The Running Test You Should Be Able to Pass

Back in grade school, you ran one mile for the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test to show how aerobically fit you were. As an adult, you’re lucky if sprinting on the basketball court or chasing your kids across the lawn doesn’t leave you sucking wind. But holding your own during a short run is important as you get older. Regular aerobic exercise reduces your risk of heart disease and helps keep your body fat low.

Test yourself with a 1.5-mile run on a flat road or track. “It’s a good predictor for your work capacity, ability to recover quickly, and do more work in general,” says Steve Di Tomaso, C.S.C.S., endurance athlete and strength coach for Envision Fitness in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. Compare your time to the average guy in your age group. If you fall short or want to be better than average, add Di Tomaso’s running and strength workouts to your routine to increase your gains.