How Long's a Bridge

[mrrun]

Hey!

Once I graduated I easily maintained 5k and moved it to 6k, three times per week as I didn’t feel any strains and all runs were fine. I followed the forum advice and would do 2 ‘easy’ runs and a single ‘tempo’ run.

Then I decided to go up to 10k, researched the forum, followed the 10% rule and took it from there. I went back to two 5k runs and the third one was 6.5k, the following week 2 x 5 plus the third one 8.15k. I hope I’m doing it as the 10% rule suggests.

Last week I felt that I might need to repeat 8.15k this week as it wasn’t plain sailing, it took me an hour to complete and the legs felt pretty heavy. I’m no rush whatsoever, my aim is to run 10k comfortably be end of this year, or later if necessary, and improve on my 5k times through ‘tempo’ runs.

How long did it take you to get through to comfortable 10k (if we can use that word to describe it)?

Cheers!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

To be honest it took me almost a year since graduation. In the first year my 10ks were very sporadic and about 3 months apart. Then this spring I decided to go for distance and have more or less done a 10k minimum every week since. Maximum was a half marathon, but that was a one off in May and I would have to work up to it again. But I've done a few 10milers. Mind you I am very slow. I think in the winter months I will have to work on my speed.

But you are probably younger and fitter than me and won't need a year to get to running 10ks regularly. Good luck!

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

Sounds like you have the measure of the 10% rule and it avoids overdoing it so is worth sticking with, although maybe calling it a guide, rather than rule gives you a little bit of leeway.

I have looked back through my posts and cannot find any mention of my first 10k run and I know that I lost a few months of run records covering that period, so I am not much help in that respect. It was only a matter of weeks between 5k and 10k although I did use the 10% rule. However I did find that I did my first 10 mile run (16k) in about five months from starting running and I know that at that stage 10k was much easier than 16k.

Any distance, once your body is used to it, can be comfortable or tough, depending on how hard you run it and the terrain. Your 5k times will improve by increasing your distance, simply by getting more miles on the legs. I pushed too hard in those first few months and had issues with lower back pain. This was cured by lots of core strength exercises, so I would recommend building those into your regime.

10k is a lovely distance, requiring no preplanning or refuelling strategies......just head out the door and run.

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

All sounds good to me. I used the 10% rule too but some weeks I didn't increase distance, I just 'consolidated'!! Once you hit 8K, I assure you 10K is never far behind but there is no point pushing it and risking injury to new running legs. I graduated in the October and think I ran my first 10K at some point in the January. I'd say you are well on target but listening to how your body feels is so important - better to ease off the increments for a week and even pop in an easy week occasionally as your body needs time to adapt to increased distance. Good luck!🙂

[Hidden]

I may have mentioned this ( ) ....but I ran 10k this weekend. I started the couch to 5k in March/April this year and have been increasing by 10% when I have felt comfortable. Mind you I am bloody slow...so that explains why I am comfortable perhaps. I don't really feel in a position to advise as I know nothing, but I think that enjoying your running is probably the key to progress. Sometimes push your speed, and sometimes your distance. Just keep at it and you will achieve your goals.

[Coddfish Graduate10]

It took me a few weeks after graduation to achieve 5k and several months of regularly doing parkrun to get to the point where I could run 5k without needing to spend the rest of the day on the sofa. For a long time I had no inclination to increase my distance, other than the occasional 6 or 7k. Earlier this year I signed up for the Great South Run (10 miles) which forced the issue somewhat. Having dropped down to 2 runs a week after graduating C25k, I have gone back to running 3 times a week doing parkrun, an interval or tempo run and a longer run each week. I built the longer runs up, doing 8k in various run/walk formats for 3 weeks then 10k in various formats for 3 weeks. I haven't yet run a continuous 10k but have done 5k, rest, 5k, and will go up to 12k next week. It's taken 6 weeks to get this far, and I have another 7 or 8 before my 10 mile event.

[RunaroundSue Graduate10]

Well, I have just posted my report. It took me one year, two weeks and two days!

Although to be fair, I wasn't actually working on Bridge to 10K all of that time.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

A year to the day of my Graduation I had no intention of ever running 10 K...but it just evolved... and now I love my long runs generally

[Cliff_H Graduate10]

I ran 10k a couple of weeks after graduation although by graduation I was regularly running 6-7k on one of my runs. I slowed my pace right down for my first 10k. I started C25K on 25th April struggling to walk/run, graduated late June and did my first 10k in July so essentially added 1k per week to my long post grad run... that works out as Couch to 10k in 12-13 weeks which when I say it still feels as though I must be talking about someone else. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.

I'm going to do the Brighton 10k in April as my first official 10k and that will be a great anniversary from non runner to 10k plodder

[Millsie-J]

It took me five months from graduation. I took it very steady. Im now a year pist graduation but my 10 k runs are probably every two months or so.....

However now the weather is changing to cooler i shall be working on regular longer runs ....,,and soooooo looking forward to it 😀💪🏻🏃🏻‍♀️