This is an aerobic fitness test, involving running a distance of two miles as fast as you can. This test forms part of the US Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), performed by US Army personnel every six months. If a soldier has a permanent medical condition that keeps them from conducting the 2-mile run, an alternate event is taken, either the 2.5 mile walk, 800 yd swim, or 6.2 mile bike.
test purpose: This test measures aerobic fitness and leg muscles endurance.
equipment required: 2 mile flat running course, stopwatch, marker cones, recording sheets.
pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Measure and mark out the course using cones. See more details of pre-test procedures.
procedure: The aim of this test is to complete the 2-mile course in the shortest possible time. At the start, all soldiers line up behind the starting line. On the command ‘go,’ the clock will start, and you will begin running at your own pace. Although walking is authorized, it is strongly discouraged.
scoring: The total time to complete the course is recorded. The scoring depends on the sex and age of the participant. See APFT for more information about scoring.
comments: It is permitted to pace a soldier (such as running ahead of, along side of, or behind) during the run, as long as there is no physical contact with the runner and it does not physically hinder other soldiers taking the test. Cheering or calling out the elapsed time is also permitted.
The Test in Action
- This test forms part of the US Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), performed by US Army personnel every six months.
Similar Tests
- Marine PFT 3-Mile Run — run 3 miles as fast as you can.
- Endurance Run / Walk (1 mile) — run or walk 1 mile as fast as you can.
- Cooper 12 minute test — cover as much distance as you can in 12 minutes.
- PRT 1.5 mile walk/run — run or walk 1.5 mile as fast as you can.
- Rockport Walk Test — walk 1mile as fast as you can.
- 2-km Walk Test — walk 2km as fast as you can.
Related Pages
- US Army testing discussion and scoring
- See the comparison page for a overview of the walk and run tests.