Hi nearly new

[tmbtrain]

Hi I'm hoping to get some inspiration from seeing other people currently aiming for 10K! I'm currently jogging week 8 of C25K and looking to see what's next. I need to dramatically improve my fitness as planning a hike next year around Mont Blanc and the elevation on the route is more than I could manage at the moment. Lots of folk suggested running for the cardio stronger heart and lungs so here I am

[roseabi]

Hi! Welcome to the Bridge to 10K community!!

We have an in-house 10K or 60 minute plan you might like to read about - details here: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

Also, I wonder if you enjoy swimming? Because that is a great exercise for promoting cardiovascular fitness, and a fabulous addition to your running training! xxx

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to roseabi]

Hi thanks I'll definitely check it out! I swim like a brick unfortunately 🤭

[nowster Graduate10]

Welcome!

I'd suggest not going straight into the 10k plan after graduation. Spend a few weeks getting used to running for half an hour first and experimenting with different types of runs.

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Thank you, I saw there was a 5k+ plan to maybe increase speed first rather than distance. Maybe that's the better way than jumping to 10k.

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to tmbtrain]

I'd suggest extending by time first and then by distance, and not concerning yourself with improving your speed at all. If you're already doing a pace that's faster than 5km in 30 mins, do distance first, then time.

Pushing for speed is a good way to get injured. (Personal experience talking.)

As you gradually get fitter from doing the miles and the minutes, the speed increases will start to happen anyway. It takes a few months to kick in, though.

Something happened to me this month: since the start of it I've noticed I was gradually getting faster, and my weight started going down again too. I beat my previous "hard" attempt at a 5km time (which also brought some Injury Couch time) as a side effect of a longer, more difficult run where I wasn't even trying for a fast time. I do my longer runs at a much more sedate pace (8min/km) than my shorter runs (a bit faster than 6min/km).

But do consolidate your half hour runs before attempting to extend or speed up. You'll only have had 8 hours of running as a new graduate. That's not much. Let your body get used to that first before trying to go on to better things.

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

I'm way slow at the moment going little more than a fast walk! Today was the first run of week 8 and I wondered how far I would get so I measured with mapmyrun. It turns out it was 2.88miles in 38mins. After trying to be a runner several times in the last 20 yrs and always failing, it was a chance comment from another runner I know that said I must be going too fast and to really slow it down. I think they might have been right! I do love the idea of getting faster by just getting fitter, definitely something to look forward too!

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to tmbtrain]

4.6km including warm up and cool down. That's pretty much the norm for a C25K participant in week 8. Well done!

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Great to know thanks!

[Hidden]

Your plan to improve your cardio via running is definitely a great one, as roseabi mentioned but you don't do swimming 🏊‍♀️ , another good cardio improver would be cycling, which would work along side

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, a good reminder to me to get my old bike out of the shed, its been a while 🙂

[damienair Administrator]

My advice is to just enjoy it. Soon hopefully, parkrun will return, try that out, a 5K run every Saturday morning with other people. It is a lovely way to kick off your weekend. Just get used to running 5K first 3 times per week for 2-3 months. Then just slowly add distance onto one of those runs each week. Just add on 500 meters at a time. It will take a couple of months but just like the C25K plan you will get there. Most importantly, don't over think it, relax and enjoy it. You don't have to run 10K to hang out here. I have not run 10K since last October. I run 5K every week at the moment. I will build it back up again but I'll do it slowly.

Damien

[tmbtrain Graduate10]

Thanks sounds like good advice 👍

[Wisekat Graduate10]

Hi, after not running since my school day, I started the "Couch to 5K" in February and today ran my first 10K - you can do it too! I missed the Olympic Selection but at the age of 67 it was always a long shot. You can doit just work your way up by adding a 500m or 1k each week! Good luck and keep running.

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to Wisekat]

Wow that's a great achievement! It really shows you what can be done in such a short time!

[Hidden]

Well done tmbtrain! That certainly a smashing challenge for next year and a wonderful experience for you. I’m sure that you will succeed !👍👏👏.please keep in touch with your progress and in the meantime everything all the guys above have said already I couldn’t have put it better myself .Good luck!👍😀🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[tmbtrain Graduate10]

Thanks! It certainly gives the motivation to try and get out there and keep going, especially when the weather's off and I'm feeling tired and all the usual 'reasons' that usually keep me from doing it!

[Hidden in reply to tmbtrain]

🥰🥰