Event 5 of 5
2-Mile Run
A test of aerobic endurance.
What it measures and why
A test of aerobic endurance.
The Army ties the 2-mile run to common Soldier tasks such as dismounted movement, ruck marching, and infiltration.
Army-named fitness components: Aerobic endurance.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-77, p. 37
Equipment and station setup
Equipment per lane
- Stopwatches — 2 to 17: one for the OIC or NCOIC and one for each grader.
- Outdoor timing clock — Not required, but assists testing.
- Numbers or vests — Issued to Soldiers by graders during the 10-minute rest.
Station setup
- Use an indoor or outdoor track or another measured course with a solid, improved surface, no more than a 3% uphill grade, and no overall decline (start and finish at the same altitude). No survey is required.
- Keep the course free of significant hazards such as traffic, slippery road surfaces, and areas with heavy air pollution. Do not use unimproved terrain.
- Put the start and finish at the same location as the other events.
- Make sure Soldiers know the course, start and finish points, turn-around points, or number of laps before the event.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-25, 2-75; E-1, p. 22, 36, 87; ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-19, 2-77, 2-80, p. 19–20, 37
How to perform it
Starting position
At the start line: Soldiers move up to it when the NCOIC calls "GET READY" at the end of the 10-minute rest. The ATP does not prescribe a body position.
Steps
Step 1: Start“GO”
- Begin running at your own pace when the NCOIC says "GO."
Step 2: Run the course
- Complete the full 2-mile distance on the course. On a track, graders count completed laps.
Step 3: Finish
- Your time is recorded as you cross the finish line at the 2-mile point. Sign your scorecard after the run.
Proper form and what's allowed
- The run starts no more than 10 minutes after the last Soldier completes the plank.
- Walking or pausing.
- Pacing another Soldier or being paced by another Soldier.
- Verbal encouragement.
- Biometric devices such as watches, heart rate monitors, step counters, and fitness trackers.
- Gloves that conform to AR 670-1 may be worn for any event.
Breathing: ATP 7-22.01 gives no breathing guidance for this event, so none is given here.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-75, p. 36; ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-75, 2-78 – 2-80, p. 36–37
Common mistakes and invalid repetitions
Repetitions or positions that don't count
- Receiving physical help: a Soldier cannot be picked up, pulled, or pushed in any way.
Termination
- Leaving the running course at any time before completing the 2-mile distance.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-78, p. 37
Completion, attempts, timing, and rest
- The raw score is the time recorded when the Soldier crosses the finish line at the 2-mile point.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-79, p. 37
Grader instructions
- During the 10-minute rest, graders issue numbers or vests to their Soldiers.
- On a track, graders record each Soldier's completed laps.
- The NCOIC announces elapsed time as Soldiers finish; graders enter the time on DA Form 705-TEST.
- Graders make sure Soldiers sign their scorecards after the run.
Commands and grader responsibilities
| Command | Who and what happens |
|---|---|
| GET READY | NCOIC, at the end of the 10-minute rest: Soldiers move to the start line. |
| GET SET | NCOIC. |
| GO | NCOIC: Soldiers start and the timer starts the clock. |
| Finish-line time calls | The timer calls minutes and seconds as Soldiers approach the finish (for example, "FOURTEEN-FIFTY-EIGHT, FOURTEEN-FIFTY-NINE, FIFTEEN MINUTES"), and at each lap on a track. |
Grader responsibilities
- After the run, the OIC, NCOIC, or grader converts raw scores to points for every event, enters the total, and confirms scores with the Soldier.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-12, 2-75, 2-79, p. 18–19, 36–37; ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-75 – 2-76, p. 36
Safety
- Select a course free of significant hazards such as traffic, slippery road surfaces, and heavy air pollution.
- Plan so that weather and environmental conditions do not degrade performance and the uniform suits the conditions.
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-8, 2-19, p. 18–20
Scoring and training
Raw score: Time to complete 2 miles (mm:ss). Lower (faster) is better. Points run from 0 to 100 using the June 2025 score tables, by age group and, for the general standard, sex.
Both the general and combat standards require at least 60 points on this event; the combat standard also requires a total of at least 350.
Prepare with the exercise library
The ATP starts every AFT with the Preparation Drill and ends with the Recovery Drill.
Exercises RuckOn maps to this event (an app mapping, not an Army designation):
Muscles and movement (RuckOn explanation)
RuckOn anatomical explanation for training purposes. The Army's own description is in “What it measures and why.”
- Primary
- Heart and lungs (cardiorespiratory system), Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves
- Secondary
- Gluteal muscles, Hip flexors, Trunk muscles
- Movement patterns
- Sustained running, Pacing
ATP 7-22.01 (12 Mar 2026), para. 2-30, p. 23; AFT Scoring Scales effective 1 June 2025
Demonstration and sources
U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness (YouTube)
Official U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness video linked from army.mil/aft. It was titled for the ACFT and may predate the June 2025 AFT and the March 2026 ATP; where anything differs, follow ATP 7-22.01 (March 2026). RuckOn has not reviewed the video frame by frame.
Photos and illustrations: ATP 7-22.01, Holistic Health and Fitness Testing (U.S. Army, 12 March 2026). Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Source notes
Where the official text is inconsistent, it is reported here rather than resolved:
- The official video linked from army.mil/aft is titled "AFT Event 6", from the earlier six-event numbering; the 2-mile run is the fifth AFT event.
- ATP 7-22.01, Holistic Health and Fitness Testing(opens in a new tab)
12 March 2026. Current. Supersedes ATP 7-22.01, 1 October 2020.
- AFT Scoring Scales, Army Fitness Test Score Tables(opens in a new tab)
Approved 15 May 2025, effective 1 June 2025. Listed as the current AFT scoring tables on army.mil/aft when checked.
- army.mil/aft, Army Fitness Test website(opens in a new tab)
Checked 2 October 2026. The ATP names this site for event descriptions and instructional videos.
- Army Directive 2026-07, Army Physical Fitness Standards(opens in a new tab)
17 April 2026 (armypubs record date). Active. Supersedes Army Directive 2025-06 in part and controls where it conflicts with other Army regulations or directives.
Content checked against the publications on 2026-10-02.
RuckOn Fitness is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Army, and this guide is not a grader certification. Test administration follows ATP 7-22.01 and your unit's OIC or NCOIC.