How fast do you need to do 10k to enter a ‘race’ ?

[Ssasqueen]

I must be a runner now as my social media is full of adverts for 10ks and half marathons... which got me thinking...

I’ve nearly completed JuJus magic plan and am due to do 10k next week.

It just so happens that there is a 10k reasonably near me next Saturday in Tatton Park.

So my question is how fast do I need to be to not look like a muppet? At park run there are lots of people fun running at my pace but I’m worried that people who enter ‘real races’ are ‘real runners’ and much faster than me. I realise I’ll not be very fast, I reckon I’ll be about 1:10/1:15, will they be clearing up around me if I do it or is it OK to go at that pace? I guess memories of running cross country at school and finishing last (after everyone else had showered) still haunt me. But I like the idea of doing my first 10k in a beautiful place.

EDIT- Thanks for all your messages - seems I was worrying about nothing and there should be plenty of other fun runners about - I’ve booked it - I’m excited first time 10K first proper race.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

I know Tatton has a 3 hour cut off for the HM the day after (I’m running that one), so they probably have one for the 10k... maybe 90 minutes, or 100 would be logical. Best way to find out is to drop them an email. They will have people of all paces though.

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks - great idea - so as long as I’m inside the cut off I should be OK - massively good luck with the half marathon. That sounds something to be very proud of

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Ssasqueen]

Thanks... no idea what pace I’ll manage... my 10k PB was around 67 minutes and then on Sunday I managed 52 all of a sudden... don’t think I’ll be attempting to match that though, I’ll be happy if I get across the finish line off my hands and knees!

I was toying with doing the 10k too... maybe next year.

[Macmac Graduate10]

Great idea! 😊 You are actually pretty speedy and there will probably be loads of people well after that expected time. Take a look at recent results and you’ll probably see runners taking 2hrs for a 10k so no problem with your 1.10-1.15. Have fun! 😄

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Macmac]

Thanks for that - I never thought to look at the results! I’m basically just wanting a longer park run and was worried about entering a real race instead

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

That is a good pace...many don't have cut off times for 10K unless they are on public roads

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks - good to know

[misswobble Graduate10]

Don’t be put off. All sorts of runners do races. You'll be amazed. Sure there’s fast runners but there’s every other sort of runner there too 😃👍🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏅

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Great - my idea of races is still from school - 40 years ago - and trying to ‘win’ I know I’m not an athlete and won’t come close but it sounds like I can enter this and treat it like a bigger park run. Thanks.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

You have a great time. I’ve a friend who’s been running for years and she’s happy to be finishing in your times. She’s experienced as a 10k runner. You’ll be celebrating with your finisher medal watching loads come in behind you.

[damienair Administrator]

5K and 10K road races are very different to Parkrun. But you will also recognise a lot of people from Parkrun. At those times you’ll be fine. And I always find you run faster in a larger crowd and the atmosphere carries you along. Do it and enjoy it. 👍

Damien

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Check out the cut off time on the race event page, but I’ve entered 2 10k races and I’m a 75 minute runner. Lots of people were behind me. So go for it and enjoy that first race. 🏃‍♀️👏🏻👏🏻

[iain-strachan Graduate10]

I just looked up the results of the Asics London 10k, in which my son participated, and completed in 1:04 (not really that much faster than your pace). The last person to finish that race did it in 2:09. At my current pace (I'm working up to 10k just at 7k at the moment), I reckon I'd do it in 1h 20m which would put me about 8500 out of 8900 so at least 400 slower than me. At your slowest pace of 1h 15 you'd be placed 7600, so 1300 people slower. So you definitely wouldn't have been embarrassed at that race!

For the record my son finished in position 5549.

[Slinkymalinki Graduate10]

Go for it! Thanks for asking this question. I run a similar pace at 10k but don't do it very often. I hope to be brave enough to do a 10k at some stage and have been a bit put off by the thought of coming last - not so much now having read these encouraging replies! Hope your upcoming 10k goes well - Tatton would be perfect! 🙂

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Slinkymalinki]

Yeah it’s great to hear - I want to enjoy running - just don’t want to feel a fraud in an event designed for athletes- great to think that I can go and enjoy it with a goal of finishing in 75 minutes and ‘running’ all the way

[linda9389 Graduate10]

You'll be fine with times like that! I have to admit I always check previous year's results before entering an event though - same fear of being last 😍😍😍

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to linda9389]

Thanks - It’s sad that the thought of being last scares us. I loved marshalling at Parkrun and was proud of everyone’s achievements- especially those who were struggling but carrying on - I was probably more impressed with them than the ones who came first so I need to cut myself some slack.

[JaoJao Graduate10]

Hi sass queen. I completed the Juju plan last week and I did 10k in 01:23:58 (to be precise). I’m entering a 10k race in January at a local country park, and I’m not letting my time put me off because it’s my race, personal to me and my journey! I’m also doing my first 5K race on Boxing Day and I’m not fussed where I end up at that one either. I am pledging funds for charities for both races and that will be motivation enough to just enjoy it! And I call myself a runner 🏃‍♀️

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to JaoJao]

Good stuff - this will be my first time actually running 10k (I finish the juju plan next week) but I’m pretty sure I can do the distance as I was OK after both 9ks - I just needed to know I’d be ok if I needed to walk for a bit and it wouldn’t be too competitive- sounds like it will be fun

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Well I’ve run 3 x 10k races and a 10 miler and believe me I’d love to have your pace! Go for it, they’re such fun, and highly addictive, 😀😀

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Booked it x argh...

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to Ssasqueen]

Awesome, you won’t regret it! 😀😀

[Mumpark Graduate10]

You will be fine I thought that when I done a 10K.

When I first got to running 10K on my own in the park I was doing 1 hour 20 minutes.

So when I was offered a place in the Vitality 10000 I put as my estimated time 1 hour and 20 minutes and had knocked 5 minutes off of that by the time the run came.

On the day I did it in 1hour 14 and I was far from being the last.

Last week I did Leigh on sea 10K I was a bit worried when I arrived because every body seemed like ( proper runners ) Belonging to clubs,

But I got a PB of 1 hour 11 minutes I don’t know how, it was pretty tough going running across roads while they held up traffic running over road footbridges and railway footbridges but Hey I done it.

Plus it was blooming freezing.

Just looked at Tatton parks last years 10K results and it looks like 1Hour 35 was last.

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Mumpark]

Thanks - I’ve booked it - argh... great to be challenging myself

[sTrongFuse Graduate10]

I've never know a 10k event that has a cut off time below around 90 minutes (not that my experience is in any way exhaustive and by way of example, the Scottish 10k ( scottish10k.com/terms/ ) has a time limitation on 1 hour 45 minutes). If you are running 10k in the 70 - 75 minute zone, you should be fine. My PB is 67 when the heavens align, so you're pretty much on a par with me.

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to sTrongFuse]

Thanks - really helpful - it’s daunting the size of the events - this one has up to 2000 runners - but it should be fun

[sTrongFuse Graduate10 in reply to Ssasqueen]

I've got the Edinburgh mens' 10k a week on Sunday. Last year it had around 1200 runners so hopefully it should be a great event.

[Couchpotato2]

It sounds like it's meant to be, go for it!!

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

Booked it

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Ssasqueen]

You’ll be great!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

This is such a good question Ssasqueen ...That would be one thing that would put me off...I would hate for everything to be packed up and the finish line put away before I got there!!!

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Mummycav]

I think I’d just try to slink off ... but it sounds like the events are for fun runners like me so I’ll hopefully be fine - fingers crossed

[Mimirossi Graduate10]

You will be fine Ssasqueen !

I recently did my first 10k race. I hurt my hip a few weeks before and found that running up hills exacerbated the pain. I had to stick to flat runs to make it to the start of the race, which was a hilly and sometimes muddy one. I had to walk sometimes on the steeper hills and was worried that I would be finishing way after everyone else. As it happened I did it in1:10.52. Although the majority of people were faster, there were still about 150 people behind me.

You will be fine! Don’t worry. Enjoy the experience!

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Mimirossi]

Thanks

[Run46 Graduate10]

Glad to hear you've booked it Ssasqueen, how exciting...eek!

Our local 10K last week had loads of fast runners, the winner took only 34 minutes 😳, but there were loads of people finishing at around 1hr 30 too so it seems to me that you'd have plenty of people behind you and nothing to worry about except trying not to be nervous and enjoying the run!

Let us know how you get on...good luck 🏃‍♀️😀👍

[Ssasqueen Graduate10 in reply to Run46]

Thanks

[Coddfish Graduate10]

Larger events have cutoff times to allow roads to be reopened and cleaning services to go through but at that place you will be fine. It takes me 90 minutes to run 10k and I have never had a problem.