I've run a 10k distance twice now, and both times the first 5k has been horrible, painful and made me feel like giving up every km.
However, once I break the 5k mark, it suddenly feels better, I get into a routine and can even up my pace.
Is this common, and is it all in my head?!
Would be grateful for any tips on how to make things a little more even.
Like you I’ve only done 10K a few times. I sometimes run 7K as a long run. And when I do 10K I add a 3K loop onto my 7K loop. So when I’m coming to the end of the 7K loop knowing that my home is just 2 mins away I struggle to keep going. But once I turn a certain corner I have no problem continuing on to finish 10K. A lot of this is in the mind.
Damien
I sometimes felt like this. One thing I try to do is try new routes out and focus on what I’m looking at, not on my running. The distraction helps.
I’m now doing 10k ( or more) 4 or 5 times a week.
You are doing great and it’s really good that you are staying out there and not giving up 👏👏
hi, you are doing great. Im not too sure why this happens, but happens to me too.. could just be the gremlins in my head!!
Yep try new routes or try not to think about how far you've ran or get to go till you finish
Good luck and happy running!
Have a wee Google for “toxic 10”
I came up with a plan today for my 7k and "bolted" a hilly 2k run onto the front of one of my normal 5k routes. The hills made me start slow, and when I reached familiar territory my brain thought " this is just a normal 5k" and everything felt much easier. I think some days are just hard...or it could be the toxic 10 as K8nno suggests. Main thing is that you are not letting it stop you 👊👊
No hills for me, but maybe mine are a little more metaphorical!
Definitely the worst kind!Sneaky critters those metaphors! You will get through it...you know the drill; if in doubt default to as slow as possible and just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I am enjoying a good patch at the moment, but that comes after a couple of months of injuries and other stuff...just the way it is sometimes 😊
Fingers and toes crossed the good patch continues for as long as possible! I'm doing the Vitality 10k at the end of next month so just want to get to that in good shape and not hate the whole thing!
I’ve sometimes found that the 1st 5k is harder than my 5k parkrun, even though I’m going slower. The toxic 10 is getting to be a toxic 45 . Not sure why .
Absolutely with you on that one!
Yes it's tough the first few times. And yes, it's probably a mental thing! I've found that starting off at a slowish pace works best for me – maybe a minute slower per km than my 5k pace. After about 2 km I feel better and then just count down the distance.
Since I ran 10 miles (16.1 km) I've found 10k runs less intimidating.
I think I could manage a longer run now too, so may be that’ll take the edge off the 10k. I certainly feel that way about 5ks now!
All I can share is my own experience(😮). Sometimes my 10ks are steady all the way but sometimes, like you, the first few k feel tougher and I then seem to settle in to it and speed up. I call it finding my 'happy place' in a run!! Mentally I know this now - which makes it easier to ignore any sneaky gremlins in those first few kilometres as I know it is going to get easier! 🙂
Thanks for sharing - I think I’m the same, and like you say you know you can do it so it’s just a case of blocking out those gremlins!
I’m very lucky that I have some nice routes to explore along the river so that can keep me distracted - fingers crossed!
10K ✅ 
10k ✅
10k
On My Way to 10K - W3R3
First 10K race done! 
