Resipsa

I've run a mile or two in my day, LOL

if you want to get faster you have to run faster.

Two easy ways to do that for someone new to running is:

1) once or twice a week spend part of the time running uphill. Hill training is a great way to increase your fitness without beating your legs up.

2) on your regular run do interval or "fartlek". During the run pick out an object, like a telephone pole, and run faster to it, when you get to it, slow down to your regular pace. Repeat.

Finally, if the run is a mile and a half you need to train longer than that, not shorter. Your run should be at least two miles, at a minimum if the test run is one and a half. Runners train to run longer than their race distance