Fitness test- feel like this is impossible.

[AngeloMysterioso]

I’ve applied for a role as a whole time firefighter, got through the first two rounds of assessment and was sent a day for my bleep test. From the day of the email to the day I have to do it was 3 weeks- now it’s a week and a half. I’ve had practice runs but can’t seem to get past level 6 and I need to get to 8.8. I’m 39, I have three children and I work until 2 a.m. four nights a week, so my spare time not spent working or looking after my children is spent sleeping, and even then I’m not getting anywhere near enough sleep and I’m permanently exhausted. I simply don't have the time for loads of training, going to the gym etc. I don’t know how on earth I’m ever going to manage to reach that level, when doing any training means depriving myself of sleep which I need so badly. Do I just give up and accept that it won’t happen? I’m so unhappy with my life as it is now and was really keen on this, but I just don’t see how I’m going to get there.

Can you or DH take some time off work, and also ask your parents to help. If you could find time in the day (I guess you have a young child with you?) then that could also work. Eg can they sit in a buggy or could you run round the playground. I don’t think it matters if it is very boring running up and down the same stretch of road!

Either your or DH need a different job - this isn't sustainable in the slightest.

My midlife crisis involved wanting to quit my job and join the fire service haha! I didn’t join in the end.

I did no prep for the tests although had cycling fitness, not much for running at the time and I passed.

If you can’t postpone, I would personally turn up and put your heart into it. You’ll find you will do better than you think, as adrenaline and other running with you. If you fail, you can work hard on improving and they will recognise the effort you put in to passing.

Every time I’ve done the bleep test in the past, it’s the mind that I found gives up first for me.

My DH is a Firefighter. You’re lucky it’s just a bleep test, his service does a full on role related test (carrying hose, dragging casualties etc). If you fail, you can’t apply for another year (for our county). Being a FF is hard graft, it needs dedication. Can you get a treadmill at home to practise? Firefighter opportunities don’t come around often. When you stop, are you being true to yourself that you absolutely couldn’t have done any more?

Well exactly. Did you read the OP? I’ve applied for a different job, and now I have to do a bleep test.

Can you take any leave the week before the test to get some sleep? Wishing you the best of luck!

Fire services only take intake at certain times. An intake might not come up for a long time.

op - can you take this week off work? Even unpaid, you need to do everything you can if you want to make this work.

We have to do all that too, they just do the bleep test first and if we get past that, then it’s all the other physical tests- ladder climb, dummy drag, equipment relay etc. Its not that I run out of energy, its that I can’t keep up with the increase in speed- I can run at a solid pace for a very long time!

er What do you think this thread is about? O/p is at interview stage for a different job!

o/p I’d go and give it a try. As pp have said, adrenaline and the drive not to quit may get you near enough, if as you say you are reasonably fit anyway.

fwiw our local blue light services often run fitness check days with their PT’s to help and advise people trying to pass the fitness tests. They will often run special courses for DEI candidates like women so they can overcome physical tests.

But it's not a feasible option if you can't even train for it, is my point.

Err I know, and her current set-up means she doesn't even have time to exercise in preparation for said job, so something clearly needs to change before she tries to take it on...

I'm surprised to hear that there is no upper age limit to being a firefighter.

You would not be able to enter the army at the age you are, and that is because you would not be able to sustain the physicality that it requires.

Whilst women can reach the level of fitness required to be a firefighter, not everyone can reach that level. At 39, I would say very few women could reach that level.

You also have 3 children. Do you have excellent flexible 24hr childcare?

I really don't think this is a realistic role for you.

Whaaaat? I don’t find that convincing.

I really don't think this is a realistic role for you.

This is what I'm trying to say, though clearly not very successfully. If OP's current situation means she can't even do the exercise needed to train for a new role, then the current set-up is unsustainable and needs to be changed before trying out for a brand new career.

Are those start times pm and how many of the children are you looking after during the day? I'm wondering if your time outside work could be structured differently. Obviously you'll have thought about this,but sometimes we miss tweaks that are obvious to others

Honestly even if you had all day every day you're unlikely to be able to improve enough to reach the threshold, you could either just give it a go as nothing to lose and the adrenalin and pressure might scrape you through. It does sound like you 100% need a new job though, does anything else interest you?

Well I can’t just quit the job I have and lose my salary for the sake of a job I don’t even have yet.

Why are you the one getting up with the children at 7 when you have worked a night shift? Why isn't your husband doing this? He should be leaving you in bed as long as possible, why are you being expected to both work at night and care for children during the day, that's ridiculous!

I never said you should quit your job.

But clearly changes need to be made before you try applying for the fire service if you're at the point where your current lifestyle means you can't even pass the first interview stage.

Yes, I start in the evening and finish at 2 a.m. My eldest is in reception, the other 2 are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2. They do go to a childminder two days a week but that is purely so I can grab a few hours sleep.

Deleted as OP has just answered the question.

Lol, the fire service is properly competitive, they won't rearrange for OP. They have 100s of candidates just waiting in line.

Look at this report firm a few years ago where 1000 people applied for 6 roles.

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/2021/09/13/more-than-1000-people-apply-for-just-six-firefighter-posts/

Level 6-8 on the bleep test is the bare minimum for many physical roles. Specialist police roles like my DH is in are 9, basic police is 5-6 and the fitness needed to achieve that is not in the same league as firefighters. So I would have thought you’d have this level before you applied, if it’s something you’ve wanted a while, as you must have checked the criteria? It’s not about being fit enough to run a marathon, it’s being fit enough for a burst of speed carrying heavy weights when it’s most important.

You don’t need the gym as it’s about stamina and you can do sprint intervals with a weighted vest or heavy backpack down the street to get you to an 8. All you can do is give it your best shot and if it doesn’t work then re-apply when you’re at the level. It’s not just about passing the test but being able to maintain it in your day to day as lives depend on it - yours, your team’s and the people you need to protect. You may really want the job but if you’re not physically fit enough to do it yet, you need to wait till you are. Stamina takes time to build and you’ll have to be creative to fit it into your schedule but it is doable - there’s lots of forums on Reddit with tips to pass various beep tests.

The problem is you are competing with younger candidates, mostly men, who for whatever reason (unemployment, no kids or spend no time with them) DO have all the time to sleep and train and will meet this standard.

I think you need to look at alternative job paths sorry.

A long gentle run is no prep for the bleep test, especially not to that level. The training is about the technique of the bleep test as much as being able to run.