CFA Run+Venue Advice

[PythonLv6]

So I recently flunked my CFA with the following scores:
Basketball Throw: 37ft
Shuttle Run: 10.1
Arm Hang: 23s
Sit-ups: 58
Push-ups: 41
Run: 11:04

However, I'm normally better at the situps, arm hang, and running portion, usually able to hit 75, 34s, and 7:50, respectively, upon practicing in my local gym. I took the whole test outside, at the local football field, in relatively cold temperatures, (27, and windy). However the day before, I went on a short two mile run in similar temperatures, (34 degrees) and was able to get a 7:26, on the first mile, despite the cold, (though the second mile was kind of painful) I got a retake and can take it in another two weeks, though I figure it might be best to take it sooner. I was wondering if it would be better to take the test inside a local facility, or if I should take it outside again. For context, I can run for pretty long in my neighborhood in cold weather (about 37-40 degrees) and minimal layers (shorts and tshirt), however, during the test, I did find myself getting a little chillier towards the end, despite wearing nylon pants and even a little light-headed after the mile was over. Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Falcon USAFA '25]

First, treat the day before as a rest day. Don't push yourself.
For the colder temperatures, that's up to you, although if you've been training outside you should probably take the test outside. Bring lots of layers to wear on the breaks and make sure you're drinking and eat a hearty breakfast. If you haven't practiced the test in its entirety before, you should be practicing taking those events back to back.
You probably just need to work on having efficient recovery and maybe eat a granola bar before your run.

 

[TheRightStuff]

First, treat the day before as a rest day. Don't push yourself.
For the colder temperatures, that's up to you, although if you've been training outside you should probably take the test outside. Bring lots of layers to wear on the breaks and make sure you're drinking and eat a hearty breakfast. If you haven't practiced the test in its entirety before, you should be practicing taking those events back to back.
You probably just need to work on having efficient recovery and maybe eat a granola bar before your run.

You really need to change your username!

 

[FlyFalcon]

Water water water. Cold seasons you need it more than durning the summer why? Becuase you don't have the heat to remind you. Drink over 24 ounces the day before and day of. Eat. A lot of runner don't realize that they get light headed because they didn't eat enough. Recommend pasta the night before ( with red sauce and small amount of meat) and a decent meal hour and half out.

For durning the run. You'll most likely have wind. The key to running in the wind is to keep pace. Like hills everyone wants to speed up, don't. Keep pace as much as you can so you still have energy after the wind. You'll hit the wind at best zero times and at worst 4. If you're really unlucky the wind will be on a straight away just focus on running and not how much it sucks. For the last 100 sprint, sprint through the pain sprint like the blue folder is at the end because it may just be. Know this is your last chance and challenge it for those last seconds.

-things I just did today durning my 800 TT

 

[PythonLv6]

That makes sense, though while I've been practicing running outside, I've been practicing taking the actual test indoors. Now that you've mentioned it, it might be better to just practice doing the whole test back to back, as it might just be a question of getting used to pushing myself harder on the run, and wearing more layers so I'm not as cold lol.

 

[MidCakePa]

If you run inside, you may be warmer but will face more turns and more laps, which will slow you down. If you run outside, you’ll face fewer turns and fewer laps but may be colder, which will slow you down.

If it were me, I’d do it outside. DS did one of his fitness tests on a cold, blustery day and he said the key things were a windbreaker and a face cover to keep his chest and lungs warm.

Also, aim to take it several days ahead of the deadline, with an eye to the weather forecast. That way, you can push it back a day or two if conditions are harsh, without running out of time.

 

[PythonLv6]

If you run inside, you may be warmer but will face more turns and more laps, which will slow you down. If you run outside, you’ll face fewer turns and fewer laps but may be colder, which will slow you down.

If it were me, I’d do it outside. DS did one of his fitness tests on a cold, blustery day and he said the key things were a windbreaker and a face cover to keep his chest and lungs warm.

Also, aim to take it several days ahead of the deadline, with an eye to the weather forecast. That way, you can push it back a day or two if conditions are harsh, without running out of time.

I agree. Honestly, I'm not sure how much of a detriment the cold weather is to a person overall, as I've only taken the whole test outside once. My main concern is that it does in fact affect lungs but if running outside may actually help during the running portion, maybe I should do that after all lol.

 

[MidCakePa]

DS did a practice CFA on another cold and blustery day, without face cover. He said his lungs were in pain and kept him from accelerating at the end. Just a thin balaclava made a big difference the next time he did it in similar conditions.

 

[KiwiBird]

First, treat the day before as a rest day. Don't push yourself.

I definitely second this. For the Coast Guard PFE, I took a practice one one or two days before my real one, and I was sore that day. The second time I took it, I rested instead of pushing, and I improved my score. Also, I got an 8:31 for my mile, and I passed with that. My mouth was super dry though, and my teeth were literally sticking together, so make sure to hydrate a lot too. And, if you basically know that you failed an event, don't submit those scores unless you can't take it again. Good luck!

 

[PythonLv6]

Water water water. Cold seasons you need it more than durning the summer why? Becuase you don't have the heat to remind you. Drink over 24 ounces the day before and day of. Eat. A lot of runner don't realize that they get light headed because they didn't eat enough. Recommend pasta the night before ( with red sauce and small amount of meat) and a decent meal hour and half out.

For durning the run. You'll most likely have wind. The key to running in the wind is to keep pace. Like hills everyone wants to speed up, don't. Keep pace as much as you can so you still have energy after the wind. You'll hit the wind at best zero times and at worst 4. If you're really unlucky the wind will be on a straight away just focus on running and not how much it sucks. For the last 100 sprint, sprint through the pain sprint like the blue folder is at the end because it may just be. Know this is your last chance and challenge it for those last seconds.

-things I just did today durning my 800 TT

This makes sense, for the run I remember having some trouble pacing myself, and crossing my arms when the wind was blowing, I'm hoping wearing some warmer clothes will help also good tip with the water, I did indeed not bring any because I figured it'd just make my insides cold.

 

[PythonLv6]

I definitely second this. For the Coast Guard PFE, I took a practice one one or two days before my real one, and I was sore that day. The second time I took it, I rested instead of pushing, and I improved my score. Also, I got an 8:31 for my mile, and I passed with that. My mouth was super dry though, and my teeth were literally sticking together, so make sure to hydrate a lot too. And, if you basically know that you failed an event, don't submit those scores unless you can't take it again. Good luck!

Yeah, I guess I should've known that it might have been better to take it easier a day or two before, I got kind of nervous about the weather and figured a little practice in harsher conditions would do me good smh

 

[PythonLv6]

DS did a practice CFA on another cold and blustery day, without face cover. He said his lungs were in pain and kept him from accelerating at the end. Just a thin balaclava made a big difference the next time he did it in similar conditions.

Got it, though it's gonna have to be a double layered COVID mask, I don't have a balaclava.

 

[HCopter]

IMO

I think it's within your wheelhouse to pass, it's the mental aspect. Don't use weather or hydration as a crutch. You are healthy and 30 minutes of anything should not affect you to the point of failing. Pep talk here! So mentally say, Whatever comes that day, bring it, because I am tougher than any weather or conditions you can possibly throw at me!

Sustain Plan A (your existing training) and focus equally if not more on Plan B: Visualize yourself through bits of the CFA and in particular the "self talk" between every event. It floors me that coaches don't train this more often. How many times have I seen swimmers pysch themselves out of an entire year of training, saying things within the "critical 5 minutes behind the blocks" like This isn't my event, I'm not feeling it, I'm not a breastroker, I've got too much going on (serious eye roll on that one; not for the next 24 seconds of a 50 free!), this is a season opener, etc etc. In life, there is nothing less ambiguous and singularly focused than the CFA. You know exactly how long the first 5 exercises are, with the answer keys of passing grades and max grades.

As an officer, you must execute the nearly impossible at a moment's notice, and in this case, you had ample time to prepare and chose your moment with a willing and supportive team. If the same people who administered the test are doing it again, think of it from their perspective - you have asked and they have made a calculated decision - a covid one - to come out and test you, maybe for some candidates holding your feet as you huff and puff your way through the sit ups breathing in their face, and then.....fail? Don't! Mentally brace yourself - and embrace Plan C for that mile - it's going to be 8 minutes or less of agony, but over after that. No SA's CFA rules state that you have to end with a certain % of stomach contents, be standing upright or even remember what happened during those 8 or less minutes. You can, and will pass!

 

[MidCakePa]

No SA's CFA rules state that you have to end with a certain % of stomach contents, be standing upright or even remember what happened during those 8 or less minutes.

Since OP is applying to USAFA: Being a bit uncomfortable here is good preparation for your first few weeks/months running in Colorado Springs. That elevation can be very tough for many doolies.

@HCopter post reminds me of when DD attended USAFA Summer Seminar. She said that after one of the fitness sessions (maybe it was the CFA), a lot of attendees were hunched over trash cans, emptying their stomach. There was a bit of discomfort that day.

 

[PythonLv6]

IMO

I think it's within your wheelhouse to pass, it's the mental aspect. Don't use weather or hydration as a crutch. You are healthy and 30 minutes of anything should not affect you to the point of failing. Pep talk here! So mentally say, Whatever comes that day, bring it, because I am tougher than any weather or conditions you can possibly throw at me!

Sustain Plan A (your existing training) and focus equally if not more on Plan B: Visualize yourself through bits of the CFA and in particular the "self talk" between every event. It floors me that coaches don't train this more often. How many times have I seen swimmers pysch themselves out of an entire year of training, saying things within the "critical 5 minutes behind the blocks" like This isn't my event, I'm not feeling it, I'm not a breastroker, I've got too much going on (serious eye roll on that one; not for the next 24 seconds of a 50 free!), this is a season opener, etc etc. In life, there is nothing less ambiguous and singularly focused than the CFA. You know exactly how long the first 5 exercises are, with the answer keys of passing grades and max grades.

As an officer, you must execute the nearly impossible at a moment's notice, and in this case, you had ample time to prepare and chose your moment with a willing and supportive team. If the same people who administered the test are doing it again, think of it from their perspective - you have asked and they have made a calculated decision - a covid one - to come out and test you, maybe for some candidates holding your feet as you huff and puff your way through the sit ups breathing in their face, and then.....fail? Don't! Mentally brace yourself - and embrace Plan C for that mile - it's going to be 8 minutes or less of agony, but over after that. No SA's CFA rules state that you have to end with a certain % of stomach contents, be standing upright or even remember what happened during those 8 or less minutes. You can, and will pass!

I guess I hadn't really thought about it that way, especially since I've run in colder temps in the past without issue. I was really just worried about whether the length of time spent outside was responsible for the two day change in my running time, but now I realize it probably is just a matter of simply buckling down and giving it my all no matter the day.