10km Race For Life- 7wks to train

Hi all, i'm very new to this forum, so new this is my first post!!!

I have previously done 5km fun runs for charity with my fastest time currently sitting at 39mins, whilst battling with shifting my weight at the same time. I have lost 2.5st since July last year by doing Body Combat, dieting using Herbalife shakes and protein bars and sheer determination to be fitter and look healthy and slim... Now I am really starting to look seriously into running as I have always enjoyed it, and I thought my first step is taking the leap into doing a 10km... With 7wks to train!!!

 Any advice would be greatly received as to how to train to get a good pace, stop getting so out of breath so early on and to be able to get a good time.

 Thanks in advance image

Comments

  • Hi Hannah,

    Welcome !!

    It is doable in 7 weeks, but don't expect a particularly fast time. I went from being able to run 1 mile to doing a 10k in 3 weeks last year image. Not advisable and it hurt like hell, but shows it can be done.

    If you're getting out of breath it means you need to slow down. You don't want to going out too quickly on your first 10k and find you're totally knackered by half way round.

    You didn't say how long ago you did your last 5k, but personally if you can run 5k now I would try upping the length of your long run by  1/2 a mile  every week. Don't do a long run every time you go out or you will just tire yourself out. Try and do a couple of shorter runs during the week e.g. a 2 mile and a 3 mile, then do one long run at the weekend. 

    Good luck !

  • So, personal question number 1, when did you run the 39 min 5k? before during or after you lost weight? (well done for the weight loss, 2.5 stone is good in less then a year)

    if you are not doing so already, try running about 3 times a week, and sort one day a week where you will do your longer run, and remember that you will need to go slower on your long run! a normal paced run, and if you are interested speeding up, try doing an interval session once a week.

    One way to get you round, and quite comfortably, would be start your long run as 5k, increase by 1km a week (on your long runs) you will get up to 10k obviously by week 5, so you could either have 2 easy weeks in there where you just maintain, or you can obviously go for running 12k, which, obviously if you can manage that, then 10k wont be a problem! 

  • My last 5km was yesterday!! Only 8mins faster than my last effort before I lost the weight which was July last year... I made the mistake of running too fast off the starting line and being out of breath half way through the 1st km, ending in me having to jog the rest of the way. Really disappointed after all the effort with the weight loss, so need to definitely up my game. Thanks for the advice so far Saffy & Br1an image it makes perfect sense to be doing that.
  • Hannah, don't be so hard on yourself...........8 minutes off is great going and you got a new PB image
  • Knocking off 8 mins is very good, in a 5k race thats an over 2 min mile quicker! trust me, thats good, I wish I could knock off 8 mins on my 5k time!

    in events its easy to make the mistake of running too fast to start with! I done it on my second half marathon (a week after my first) this year, I ran the first 2 miles (uphill) at a speed I knew was too fast (was with a mate and didnt want to be shown up etc) the other 11 miles was a struggle and ended up adding 15 mins to the time I was the week before!

    something you could try would be to find 2 landmarks on a flattish surface, 1km apart, and time your splits, get an average and try to keep that pace, and when you come to race day, just take a glance everytime you see a marker and see if you are going too fast/slow, if you feel you have enough energy towards the end to pick up pace, do so! either that or buy/borrow a garmin!

  • Saffy and Brian beat me to it, but 8mins off a 5K is a stonker. I'm aiming for a rather less impressive 52 second improvement at the moment!

    Adding to what everyone else has said, on the day try and run your own race and not be lead by others around you. Chances are a lot of them will go off too fast and start flagging around half way. If you keep within your own limits early on you'll get a nice boost from passing them later.  

  • Thanks for that, forgive me for being a bit of a novice tho... what's a garmin? image
  • they are running watches, a bit pricey unless its something you are going to be commited to! but a lot of them use GPS (cheaper ones use things that go on your shoes) they can tell you your pace, compare it to your target speed, as well as loads of other features (depending on how which one you get/how much you spend) they can also time splits, and some have a heart rate monitor.

    but, if you dont want to go splashing out on one, then just anything to time yourself + www.mapmyrun.com or something to work out distances + something to time yourself.....on the race they usually have distance markers.

  • Goooo Hannah!!! I just completed my very first 5k (my very first race in fact) yesterday doing race for life in bath ... it was AWESOME, I never thought I'd manage what I did and its given me a real boost to get going with some training and achieve more ..

    I am replying to you not as a pro (obviously .. image) but as a friendly beginner... I am also now aiming for a 10k race and my plan is to run three times a week whilst keeping fit in between with core work and horse riding (you must do it if you haven't tried before and have the money - a real rush and a great toner and calorie-burner! Not that you need it - very well done with your weight loss .. WOW!)

     Just as the pros say I am planning to do two 'easy' runs each week, starting at approx 25mins and working up to 45mins ..  and then doing my longer run on a sunday morning starting at 5K and working upwards each week. When it comes to race week I intend to keep it easy and just do some 20min runs and keep up the core work in order to save energy for race day... I have also been told its proven that there's no point pushing yourself in the last week to race-day as, with regards to endurance, you tend to benefit from the work you put in one or two weeks down the line from when you do it .. please do pick holes in my exercise plans and theories pro-runners ... I eagerly wait upon your advice too!

     Anyhow Hannah, keep me up to date with how your training is going and I'll be here to spur you on! Good on you so far! What huge achievements you've made!!!!! imageimage

    Annie xxx

  • Not much I can say that hasn't already been said!

    Hannah - your weight loss is an amazing accomplishment.  I'm still trying to shed some more pounds myself having lost around 1.5 stones.

    Annie - you are also doing really well.  Sensible traing plan too.  I'm doing my 3rd 10k tomorrow night and hoping to do a half marathon next year.

    Keep up the good work and you will amaze yourself.

    C x

  • Well done indeed on the weight loss.

    Concentrate on distance rather than pace this time - you can work on that for your next 10k image 

    Good luck!

  • Wow, loving the support on this forum, don't know why I haven't come on here sooner... Annie- we can spur each other on, woo! Thanks to everyone for ur tips and advice, muchos appreciated!! x
  • Hi hope you don't mind me gate-crashing this thread.  I'm also a beginner working towards a 10K in July and a half marathon in Sept.  Before March, I'd never run and have worked my way up to 5K in 38 mins - felt everything was going really well then managed to injure my foot (this is the second injury - I also injured my other foot just a few weeks after starting).  Unfortunately I also felt unwell at the same time, so wasn't able to go to the gym to keep my fitness up this time.

     Started running again yesterday and did about 4K in around 45 mins and only have 6 weeks to train for 10K - my 8 week training plan out the window.  Was feeling pretty down, but reading all your positive comments to Hannah am feeling it should be possible to run it.

    Have downloaded a Smartcoach plan - does anyone know how to actually work out your speed?  It says things like 2mi@14.57 - does this mean I should run each mile in 14 mins 57 or two in 14 mins 57 or am I missing the point completely?

    Cheers x

  • hi nelly,

     it means 2 miles @ 14mins 57 secs per mile

    p.s nelly was my nans name!

  • Hi

     I have gone from 5k to 10k in 7 weeks using a programme from Smartcoach on here. My actual RFL 10k is on Sunday but did a 10k in training last Sunday (plan said 6 miles but thought would be good for confidence to do 10k especially as not a great deal of difference between 6 miles and 10k!). So definitely is possible!

     Crimson

     PS @ Nelly500 it means you run 2 miles at 14 min 57 secs per mile pace. So the 2 miles would take you about 30 mins.

  • Thanks folks - glad I don't have to try and do two miles in under 15mins! image
  • give it a try anyway, just for fun.....image only joking!

  • DASH RIPROD wrote (see)

    hi nelly,

     it means 2 miles @ 14mins 57 secs per mile

    p.s nelly was my nans name!

    Nelly was my nan's name too image
  • I have 3 weeks to do mine, and the only race I've done is a mile which I finished in 12 mins. My advice? JUST DO IT! I'm bricking it.

    The advice I've been given is a run/walk method which I think I might do. I'll let you know what I'll have done when I finish, and hopefully you can learn from MY mistakes! Of which I will make many!

    xx

  • Also Hannah, Thank you for this thread; it's helped me with a confidence boost just as much as it's probably helped you. I shall be intouch girl! x
  • Good luck Raphy... what's the furthest you've run?  From what I've read in other threads when running/walking don't wait 'til you're tired before you run. image
  • Err... that should have been don't wait 'til you're tired before you walk!!
  • Nelly: I did have to read that like 3 times! Ha! Today I did 10KM in 1hr 24 mins on the treadmill. That's the furthest run I've EVER done! x

  • Raphy, Double well done, first for doing 10k.....second for running on the spot indoors with the same scenary for near on an hour and a half!
  • Brian: I'm HOPING that a lot of my walking stops was due to the BOREDOM (I lost 3 ipods in the space of 5 months so I'm never having another one unless Santa gives me a present), and that I would run better and in less time outdoors!
  • Raphy - try a cheap mp3 player rather than an ipod! I've got a zen stone which I use for running and find it much more user friendly than the shuffle.
  • Brian - i am on the hunt for a cheap one... but my budget is no more than £20 - student life and what not! x
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