The Ref Stop

Getting Ready for 21/22

I did mine yesterday and passed but a number of others didn’t. One was unlucky to fail by 20-30 metres.

There’s so many ways of approaching this, I went for it to bank the distance quickly like @JamesL suggested but that won’t work for everyone. I do think you need to leave 30 seconds in the bank in case you are struggling so you have the chance to make it up by a final half lap sprint.

Personally I found the sprints harder than the 2.6km!
 
The Ref Stop
All distances should be run at an even pace. In a race, the start and finish will always be quicker, but only for a fraction of the overall distance. That's how it has to be done, that's how Mo et al do it. If anything, for the Cooper Test, I have a slight preference for running the first half ever so slightly slower than the last 6 minutes. Hate the feeling of decaying pace
I should add that I was only excelling before reaching my teens. I quickly descended the pecking order after that. My daughter has taken up the mantel. As a 14 year old, she claims to have clocked 29.4s for 200m at school, although I need to see it to believe it!
 
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A little bird told me that the current 75m sprint test that Levels 3 and above have to do is becoming mandatory for all Level 4s as opposed to the Cooper Test after this coming season...
 
A little bird told me that the current 75m sprint test that Levels 3 and above have to do is becoming mandatory for all Level 4s as opposed to the Cooper Test after this coming season...
Will suit some, and not others.
I had a go at the level 3 one. It's pretty lung busting towards the latter stages and the hamstrings were a bit tight after it
 
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Will suit some, and not others.
I had a go at the level 3 one. It's pretty lung busting towards the latter stages and the hamstrings were a bit tight after it
I've always had the sense that I'd be better at the more "stop-start" style tests than the constant runs. I can train to a point where I will pass a Cooper test, but it's never natural and always took training, even back in the days where I could do 3 matches a weekend without any issues.
 
I did mine yesterday and passed but a number of others didn’t. One was unlucky to fail by 20-30 metres.

There’s so many ways of approaching this, I went for it to bank the distance quickly like @JamesL suggested but that won’t work for everyone. I do think you need to leave 30 seconds in the bank in case you are struggling so you have the chance to make it up by a final half lap sprint.

Personally I found the sprints harder than the 2.6km!
Best way to do this in my opinion is either (without a fitness watch) know the pace per lap or (with a fitness watch) plug in the minute per KM/mile pace to make sure you are on pace.

For 2600m, a 7:15 or 7:10 per mile pace should get you home with 15-20 seconds to spare. A 1:40 per lap pace should get you across the line with 20 seconds to spare.
 
Best way to do this in my opinion is either (without a fitness watch) know the pace per lap or (with a fitness watch) plug in the minute per KM/mile pace to make sure you are on pace.

For 2600m, a 7:15 or 7:10 per mile pace should get you home with 15-20 seconds to spare. A 1:40 per lap pace should get you across the line with 20 seconds to spare.

Might want to check your maths there.

2.6k is 6 1/2 laps of a standard 400m track. Running at a constant pace of 1:50 per lap will get you home with 5 seconds to spare.

Running at a 1:40 pace will get you home with 70 seconds to spare and would have you do around 2.85k in the allotted 12 minutes.
 
I've always had the sense that I'd be better at the more "stop-start" style tests than the constant runs. I can train to a point where I will pass a Cooper test, but it's never natural and always took training, even back in the days where I could do 3 matches a weekend without any issues.

Not tried the L3 test so don't know how it might compare. However it feels like it will need a very different type of training for it, as my understanding is that part of the trick of succeeding is to modify your walking pace component so you are hitting the line for the 'run' element at exactly the time you need to.

I'm not sure how easy it will be to train for this type of test without actually doing it on a proper running track. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
Not tried the L3 test so don't know how it might compare. However it feels like it will need a very different type of training for it, as my understanding is that part of the trick of succeeding is to modify your walking pace component so you are hitting the line for the 'run' element at exactly the time you need to.

I'm not sure how easy it will be to train for this type of test without actually doing it on a proper running track. 🤷🏼‍♂️
I plan to go down the beach if I ever have to train for it. Bit of resistance never hurt anyone 😬
Either invest in a metre wheel or take big steps to make the "100m" then measure 25m off each end.
Can get the recording off the Internet, or from RDO..
I think the fifa training file has an extra 10 intervals.
 
Not tried the L3 test so don't know how it might compare. However it feels like it will need a very different type of training for it, as my understanding is that part of the trick of succeeding is to modify your walking pace component so you are hitting the line for the 'run' element at exactly the time you need to.

I'm not sure how easy it will be to train for this type of test without actually doing it on a proper running track. 🤷🏼‍♂️
Hit the nail on the head. Having done this test for the last 7 years the crucial part is getting the rhythm and timing so that you are not static at the end of each walking section but have a degree of momentum.

As you do this within a group it’s also easier in terms of teamwork to help those round who may be feeling it a bit and struggling as there’s no benefit to setting off too quick on the 75m runs - you need to time it to hit the end within a second of the allotted time.

Doing it without a track isn’t too hard. Just need a 75m straight line with 2x 12.5m loops at the ends for the walking bits.
 
I’ve always had a problem running on a track, not sure why but I’ve always found it difficult to maintain a steady pace.

I found doing the Cooper test where you have to run a set distance as fast as possible much easier on a road etc.
 
I’ve always had a problem running on a track, not sure why but I’ve always found it difficult to maintain a steady pace.

I found doing the Cooper test where you have to run a set distance as fast as possible much easier on a road etc.
Total opposite here. I find the flatness and spring you get from the track. I keep meaning to go and book a session on my local as certain can go and set some pbs on them.
 
I was at the Somerset fitness tests yesterday (I was there as my school has a track which we let the FA use as long as a representative from the school (me) was there to ensure the referees didn’t burn it to the ground. I would have had a go at the test, just for fun, but tweaked a muscle the day before)

Anyway, what was really interesting was watching the L4s and those going 5 to 4, all of whom had to do 2600m (six and a half laps) in 12 mins.

A couple of fit refs smashed it, but the main body (the peleton to pinch a cycling term) were struggling- in part because they set of at the speedy pace of the aforementioned young whippersnapper who could have kept running at pace all day.

With one lap to go, they had a lot to do. A couple passed, many didn’t.

A minute or two later, those that hadn’t passed were up and about fully recovered. The couple that did pass were still on the floor recovering for a good 5 minutes. For this group it was all in the mind - those who ran through the pain (and therefore took longer to recover) passed, those that didn’t, didn’t and will be back on August 1st.

Training will get you through the first six laps, the mind does the final half a lap.

Good luck to all those still to take the test.

They wouldn't have let you take it, they worry about liability if someone gets injured or worse, hence why the referees all have to pass a blood pressure test in the two weeks leading to the test.

That is the usual problem, people leave themselves too much to do for the last lap and when they try to speed up there is nothing left in the tank. And setting off trying to keep pace with those at the front is crazy, everyone should have practiced it so they know the pace they need to run at.

I've always gone out fast in the first two laps, aiming for sub 1:30, before then dropping off the pace a little. That way if I start to run out of steam I've got distance in the bank, appreciate that won't work for everyone though. I certainly couldn't contemplate running a stead 1:50 per lap though, that just leaves nowhere to go if the legs start to get heavy.
 
The trick for me, like any race, is to have a strategy and stick to it. I did a half marathon once, started off feeling fresh so put the hammer down and by 7-8k was completely gassing ended up missing my target time by 25 minutes...
The Cooper fitness test I used to go hard early doors and put the miles in the tank as I knew I could keep the pace but also that if for any reason I did struggle I'd be almost home and could grind it out.
The last couple I have ran "at pace" or a few seconds faster and have still passed comfortably.
The trick though is in the mind as you say, to have a strategy and don't worry what anyone else is doing. Yes there will be lads/ladies there that can and will do more than is required. Let them do their thing and you run to your ability, which you know will get you round.

I've developed a strategy over training for this test last week. Its 12 mins off 13km/h to pass in exactly 12 mins. I run at roughly 15km for the first few minutes to ensure I can take the time element out of the test. I then settle in at just over 13km/h for however long it takes to get a bit of energy back in the legs and then speed up to 14km/h and hang on in there until the end. If I ever drop below 13km/h I push the pace up a little.

I find concentrating on the pace I'm running at makes it so much easier for me than concentrating on how long I have left. Mentally it just works for me.
 
Might want to check your maths there.

2.6k is 6 1/2 laps of a standard 400m track. Running at a constant pace of 1:50 per lap will get you home with 5 seconds to spare.

Running at a 1:40 pace will get you home with 70 seconds to spare and would have you do around 2.85k in the allotted 12 minutes.
Sorry, I did the math on a calculator and was converting to seconds in my head. I had 1.84 minutes per lap, which is like 1:50 or so a lap. So a 1:45 lap pace would give you 20-30 seconds to spare.
 
I've developed a strategy over training for this test last week. Its 12 mins off 13km/h to pass in exactly 12 mins. I run at roughly 15km for the first few minutes to ensure I can take the time element out of the test. I then settle in at just over 13km/h for however long it takes to get a bit of energy back in the legs and then speed up to 14km/h and hang on in there until the end. If I ever drop below 13km/h I push the pace up a little.

I find concentrating on the pace I'm running at makes it so much easier for me than concentrating on how long I have left. Mentally it just works for me.
You can only do that because 2600m is well within your capabilities. If 2600m was on your limit, I think you'd 'run into trouble'
 
You can only do that because 2600m is well within your capabilities. If 2600m was on your limit, I think you'd 'run into trouble'

Agreed. But its in my capabilities because ive trained for it (even though only for a short time atm because my baseline fitness was decent enough of course). But its a strategy that's developed after doing the run 5 times so I know what works for me and what's achievable. I'm trying to get my head around training properly for this year as I'm going for level 4 but did my 7-6 & 6-5 during a pandemic. I've done 0 competitive games since early November 2020, just a few friendly cup matches for a Sunday League in April. I got my games and observations in early thankfully so I passed the 6-5 but I did no county cup games or county league matches due to there being none available. Apart from academy u18 games, I'm yet to referee at the standard I played at and I'm going for level 4 so it's a bigger step up than usual but I enjoy a challenge. Just trying to take training up a notch to have one real go at level 4.
 
They wouldn't have let you take it, they worry about liability if someone gets injured or worse, hence why the referees all have to pass a blood pressure test in the two weeks leading to the test.
A blood pressure test before the fitness test? That’s a new one on me, didn’t have to do one a couple of years ago when I did my fitness test, 7 to 6. Is it a 4 to 3, or possibly 5 to 4 requirement?

I don’t think fitness tests are mandatory for 7 to 6 and 6 to 5 in all counties, but they are in Somerset, in part because our very enlightened RDO recognised too many 5 to 4 candidates were failing the test as it was the first time they had to do a fitness test as part of the promotion scheme, so he introduced it.

Here (Somerset) its 2000m in 12 mins for 7 to 6, 2400 for 6 to 5, then 2600 for 5 to 4 (a national requirement I think)


They (Somerset FA) did supply a first aider to be in attendance this year, I dont recall that happening before (but due to Covid, it’s two years since we (my school) hosted fitness tests, and my memory may have dimmed)

Interestingly, we (the school, along with the RDO) offered a few evening training sessions where candidates could come and use the track (all free). The attendance wasn’t brilliant, but interestingly, one of the “big lads” who only just made the cut (5 to 4) had attended those training sessions- he took opportunities presented to him and, along with his positive mental attitude, meant he was able to do just enough to pass.
 
A blood pressure test before the fitness test? That’s a new one on me, didn’t have to do one a couple of years ago when I did my fitness test, 7 to 6. Is it a 4 to 3, or possibly 5 to 4 requirement?

I don’t think fitness tests are mandatory for 7 to 6 and 6 to 5 in all counties, but they are in Somerset, in part because our very enlightened RDO recognised too many 5 to 4 candidates were failing the test as it was the first time they had to do a fitness test as part of the promotion scheme, so he introduced it.

Here (Somerset) its 2000m in 12 mins for 7 to 6, 2400 for 6 to 5, then 2600 for 5 to 4 (a national requirement I think)


They (Somerset FA) did supply a first aider to be in attendance this year, I dont recall that happening before (but due to Covid, it’s two years since we (my school) hosted fitness tests, and my memory may have dimmed)

Interestingly, we (the school, along with the RDO) offered a few evening training sessions where candidates could come and use the track (all free). The attendance wasn’t brilliant, but interestingly, one of the “big lads” who only just made the cut (5 to 4) had attended those training sessions- he took opportunities presented to him and, along with his positive mental attitude, meant he was able to do just enough to pass.
Yes, BP check has always been a mandatory requirement at L4 and above.
Was this session run by your county or the FA (usually done by someone volunteering from County on behalf of)?
Was it the l4s actual tests or a practise run? Your RDO might have let you have a bash but at the official tests, I doubt they would, As Rusty says.
Usually St John's in attendance as well at official tests.
 
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