So the countdown begins … but I need help with a plan please

[61Lady]

Well, I’ve gone and done it. I’ve signed up for my 1st ever running event which is a 10k Race for Life in May 😬

Although I’ve “done” R4L before, I’ve walked 3k with two pals who are unable to run but this time I’ve gone for the big one 🙄.

It’s been over a year since my last 10k so I’ve got to put a serious training plan into action. I’m not concerned about time at all but would really like not to walk any of it 🐌

17 weeks to go and on hols for 2 weeks in April so finding a sensible plan a bit complicated 🤔

Thought I’d do Ju Ju’s distance plan for the umpteenth time and perhaps do week 1 twice, week 2 twice etc up to Week 6 (12 weeks) before I go away and then do week 6, 7 and 8 when I get back.

Any help and advice you can give me about a plan would be very much appreciated. Just a note that I can’t do Park Runs because of family commitments.

Having signed up, I now have mixed feelings - a bit of apprehension intertwined with fear and expectation in equal measure.

All being well, I’ll start my plan (whatever it is) this Friday as the forecast is for a fine morning 🤞

🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

How exciting for you! I totally get the nerves. There’s something about having paid up, knowing your number will be coming in the post and you’ll be standing on a start line that’s a bit terrifying as well as exciting. That’s how I’ve felt for all of the events I’ve done. It’s going to be such a great day for such a great cause. Training for an actual event can be really motivating too. Once you’ve got started, you may well find you enjoy having the focus and you get into a swing.

It’s totally up to you how you structure your training. Instead of repeating early weeks, I’d take a cut back week every few weeks and recover a bit. That’s what’s happened every time I’ve done a training plan even if I haven’t planned for it-now I know just to expect it! You may well have illness and niggles meaning you need to rest. That’s totally normal and building in some slack is always a good plan. Your holiday could be a really good break and work in your favour. You don’t need to worry about losing fitness over a couple of weeks like that. Just factor it in so you don’t feel the run guilt when you’re away.

Another options you might want to consider is postponing starting the magic plan and just get to a place where you’re running regularly and feeling really strong-starting earlier isn’t always better if you feel like you won’t enjoying following a training plan for so long. You know yourself best and you’re the best head coach of you!!

It’s a really good idea to make sure you’re doing some strength and flex work as you build your distance. That will help reduce your chance of getting injured.

Most of all, enjoy the journey (and share it with us!!)! Good luck!

[61Lady Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks for your wise words. I sort of cycle round with yoga, tai chi, weights, swimming and runs - perm any two or three each week but running has taken a bit of a back seat in recent months.

I’m going to endeavour to do running and swimming in first few weeks with maybe a session of tai chi thrown in when I get time !

I hope to give weekly updates here - mainly to keep me honest ! I need to be accountable and I think that will help

🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

That all sounds really positive! One more thing I forgot to mention was popping over to the fun beyond 10k and race support board. They’re super friendly and you’ll see lots of the same posters. It’s a great place to chat about preparation and anything event related, no matter what the distance. They’ll wave pom poms for you too on the day!

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

Beachcomber66 , Irishprincess and linda9389 will give you a warm welcome!

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks for the pointer MissUnderstanding !

61Lady , How exciting that you are planning for your first race! The first race is always special.

Please pop over to our lovely community where you can have a read through some of our posts and “meet” some of our lovely members, many of whom you probably already know! You’ll get lots of support and advice if you need it or just a few laughs and giggles too along the way. We try to have fun with our running 🙂

We look forward to seeing you there 👋

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10]

You have given yourself a really good amount of time to get ready so that's brilliant. I'm trying to build back up to 10k again but going very slowly! I've used the magic plan in the past and liked it. This time I'm having a go at the NRC 10k plan and enjoying that too. I'm 69 and find that what works best for me is to take a little longer than a week for each one week section. That means I do all the runs as planned but might take more rest days. I'm sure you will find what suits you. Don't put pressure on yourself ! Enjoy it!

[61Lady Graduate10 in reply to Gwenllian1]

Thank you - I’m 65 next month and full of self-doubt about this challenge. I tried NRC but have never really got on with - maybe I should give it another go. I barely broke the 90 mins for my last 10k so am under no illusion about my speed but wouldn’t it be lovely to run all the way without walking/stopping ?

Will try and post weekly report of my progress

Good luck with your training- hope you reach your goal

🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

That's exciting! You've got plenty of time. A few here are following NRC 10k plan and that's good if you like guided runs. I'm running to low heartrate at the moment and running every slow but for the first time in ages it's continuos hopefully to increase time and distance.Ju Ju's is also a great plan. You have so many choices 😁

[61Lady Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you. Perhaps I’ll give NRC another go - not sure why I didn’t like it before. Low heart rate running sounds interesting - how do I find out more about that ?

I will try and post weekly progress reports

All the best with your runs

🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to 61Lady]

Might be worth looking iit up on Google, I heard from someone else then read about it, have fun whatever you choose to do, you've got time to build up

[misswobble Graduate10]

Signing on the dotted line is the easiest bit. Then reality bites and we begging to wonder about our decision 😬

We all do it so don’t worry 😀

It’s exciting - if a little daunting - but it’s going to be fun 🏃‍♀️

One run at a time! You toe the line at week ONE. Don’t fast forward mentally to race day 🙂

All this was was discussed on my run yesterday with Coach B and Andy Puddicombe of Nike app fame. Great listening 👂🙂

Good luck with your training. Take it steady and enjoy yourself. Get your gear ready so you can take advantage of breaks in the weather, which is what I’m doing later as the winds have almost petered out. I was blown inside out when outmwith the dog first thing 🌪💨

[61Lady Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

You’re right -it was very easy to sign up 😁

I like early morning runs so always prepare night before - fewer excuses !

I don’t know any other way than steady and hopefully I’ll enjoy it … eventually 😉

🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[misswobble Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

You will. Spring is around the corner, It’ll be better then 😁🏃‍♀️👍🌷🌝🐑🐥

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

Lady after my own heart... x

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

You've had great advice..... well done to you.... Plenty of time... slow and steady.... and you will have a SUPER time

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

The start of a new plan! Great! It took me years to decide to down load one of the free running plan apps(I went for NRC HM plan last year; I know that there is a 10k plan now). I am so glad that I did. I too found it hard to get into to start with; I felt that some of it was a bit cheesy, but I stuck with it and have really got into it now. I hated intervals, but the plan makes it easy and helps you to find your pace for different distances. Age isn’t an issue by the way; you are two years younger than I was when I started C25k in 2018! However you decide to do it, enjoy your build up and race 🙂

[61Lady Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yes - started c25k when I was 61 - hence my “name”. 4 years on and still hard to believe it’s actually me talking about running … any distance 🤣

I’ll give NRC another chance as so many others recommend it