Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah, Oh Yeahh baby...I ran 10K!!!

[Mini13]

YES! YES!! YES!!! I ran 10K - non-stop, in 1 hour and 14 minutes-first time ever!!! Today I went out thinking that I was going to do my usual 5K run, but on my way to 5K I remembered the fellow blogger/Poster ashton46 saying that 'if you can run 5K you can run 10K'. Well, I thought that I would give it a go, at least try to run 7.5K. Then when I was just reaching 7.5K I thought that I would try whether I can do 10K, and I continue running, not too fast but faster than a jog, it was great, I did not even feel tired anymore, my legs were just taking me and did not stop until they took me all the way to finish 10K. I stopped, but I would have run more as I was not tired and was so thrilled when my Garmin said it was 10K! Wow, who would have thought in February that I would do a 10K run, heh?

You know I listen to music when running, you know what? I would have danced the rest (returning home) to the music if there weren't people in the park. It was dark as it was around 9.45pm when I finished my run-I started late as it was too hot and too sunny until around 8.30pm or so.

When I returned home, my Husband was very upset and son (6 years) was crying, they were worried why I took so long, Husband said I was very irresponsible for not letting him know that I decided to run an hour! I did not take the phone and just got carried away! (Ooops!) Usually I am home in 40 minutes or so.

So I really did not have a chance to properly 'celebrate' my achievement. It is 2 hours after my run now, and I got to write this blog/post. My knees are complaining a bit, but they'd better behave as I will have another run soon!

Good luck runners-keep up the good work!!

[lola465 Graduate]

Congratulations! That's one check of an achievement, you should be really proud.

And now a word of caution - stretch and take a rest day!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to lola465]

Thank you very much lola465, feel great and feel like a super runner! When think back and realise how long I have come, I do feel proud in deed.

Thank you, I will not do a 10K for few days at least, want to take it way and not have any injuries, it would be terrible!

The funny thing was, when I went for the run, I felt so lazy, and went because I had to go or else I would not be able to do my 3 day running for a week. It's just the motivation some times to get out of home, afterwards everything is fine.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Hello again mini! Lovely to read of your achievement. Hope your knees settle down soon.

The only time I've run 10k was a bit like that (though much slower, and I had done 7 before) - I just kept setting the end a bit futher off to find out whether I could go a bit further. And I did. I'm currently only doing short runs and walks while it's hot though.

A bit of a rest sounds a good idea - don't end up injured!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Thank you very much greenlegs, (hello!! after a long time, heh?!) I felt fantastic, but I do agree with you and greenlegs 100%, I should take it gradually without going mad, don't want injuries. I can 'go mad' though at times. I felt 'finer' after doing 10K than when doing 5K some days. I would have gone on...! I have also started to do Park Runs and just enjoy the challenge of trying to go a bit faster each time, even though I may not be able to do always. Can you imagine my saying this in February- when I could not even have the stamina to run a minute! Oh Dear, what a runner have I become, heh?!! Good luck to you for your runs too, It is very hot over here in oxford as well, that was the very reason why I went late yesterday and did not realise that it was close to 10pm when I returned home! (oops!), hence an upset Husband and a Son!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Very well done on your first 10K, I do however have to add a word or two of caution to anyone who is planning on doing the same one day. Its not the best way, it could cause injury as your muscles aren't used to the longer distance and could also lead to a search party being sent out to look for you!?! I'm glad you had such a super run Mini and hope your knees settle down, if they do screem and shout at you try some ice/stretching/rest from running for an extra day or two.

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Thank you oldgirl, I do know what you mean..it was just the spur of the moment, my stubborn self! I should be careful in not having any injuries. I have been running 5K for a while now, thrice a week, so I thought it would be ok to run a 10K at once, maybe I should have tried a 7.5K first and then after few days try a 10K or have done it gradually. I would not do another 10K just like that though, Husband gave me a good lecture of being 'irresponsible' as well!! It was just that I did not feel tired and went slow and did not want to stop. Now that I know I can do a 10K if I want to, I can take it slow. I do stretching before and after the runs, and one thing I found out was, I do not get 'stitches' when I stretch before the run. Thank you again for your valuable advise as always!

[sarahb_20]

congratulations!!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to sarahb_20]

Thank you sarahb_20!!

[OldNed Graduate]

Sometimes you just have to keep going. This was clearly one of those for you. Very well done, a great achievement.

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to OldNed]

Thank you OldNed, I still can't believe that I did it, 10K?!- amazing or what?, me doing 10!! 6 months ago I did not have stamina to do week 1, and struggled with it, and here I am running for an hour without stopping. This program is so amazing, we are so amazing, great runners!

[OldNed Graduate in reply to Mini13]

That's exactly how I felt after I first did 10K. It IS amazing. I was sorry to hear of your husband and son's distress but I still think you were right to do what you did. Hopefully they will come to appreciate the value & benefit of running and understand that sometimes you just gotta go with it!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to OldNed]

Thanks very much OldNed, it was the spur of the moment, you feel you want to do it, and you do it, that was 'MY' moment. Now that I know I can do 10K, I am fine, next time it will be a proper planned one. I should have taken the mobile with me though, did not plan to do a 10K so was to be back at home in a reasonable time. Son is only 6+, he was upset thinking what happened to Mummy, when Mummy did not come home until around 10pm! I left home around 8.30pm, which I have not done before, my running times are earlier than that, but we went for a funeral yesterday and returned home late, and it was still very hot and sunny so I had to wait a bit late.

Both of them are very supportive otherwise. They do come and cheer when I do my Park Runs, and happy when I do a successful run, but yesterday was a different story, they were worried, so no chance to share my happiness and excitement!

[rockchick69 Graduate]

Fantastic Mini13 and well done for doing it. I also started in February and am now up to 8km. I know what you mean about it just feeling right so you keep going, I did that once in my W8 and did 9km, but my knees killed afterwards Now I just take it steady and build up each week. I'm doing a 10k race in September so plenty of time to build up. Keep up the good work and remember your phone

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to rockchick69]

Thank you rockchick69, yes my knees are a 'bit of a pain' at the minute but I should be ok by tomorrow and shall do only a short run tomorrow. It is great to know that I really CAN DO a 10K, but I will not try it again for a while maybe. I wish I could do a 10K run too, maybe I should try to find out whether we have one around Oxford.

Good luck to you for your September Run, is it a charity run?? Yes you have enough time to build up and I am sure you will do it Goo job, keep it up!

Yes, I will carry the phone next time, so it will avoid giving my Husband and Son a heartache! Thank you.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Wow !!!!well done you that is really fantastic, you should celebrate...and husband needs a kick up the a*** for not joining in your euphoria and at you being home in one piece!!!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Thank you juicyju, you made me laugh!! Good luck to you for your runs!!

[ashton46 Graduate]

I've just read your blog, what a great read! And it dawned on me that our paths to this point have pretty much mirrored each other. I too started the C25K in February and I recommend it to any who will listen.

So, when are you registering for a 10k race then?!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to ashton46]

Thanks very much ashton46, I started to do C25K on 27th February to be precise and then graduated on 29th April. I had to stop for a month and a bit due to a hand surgery and started to run again in July. This all started when I signed up for RfL. Then I did the RfL on 14th of this month. Next is to do a 10K as you say, I thought it would take longer than this to run a 10K until I read your Post! What is the ok timing to complete a 10K so that I have an aim. I should see whether there are any 10K runs in near future in Oxford and then register to do it. Good luck to you for your runs, what are your plans??!!

[ashton46 Graduate in reply to Mini13]

You started just a couple of weeks after me then

I think times are very much a personal thing. I was over the moon to crack 30 minutes for 5km then attended my local Parkrun and got lapped two thirds of the way around by someone who strode out to a 17 minute 5k! But I was still happy with my own little milestone.

For me personally, in terms of the 10km it is pace rather than speed that matters to me. In other words, I want to keep the same per kilometer pace right throughout the 10km. I found that control quite tricky to get the hang of (RunKeeper helped a lot). Like many I have the habit of setting out too fast and slowing right down at the end.

So I can't really comment on an overall time to aim for as such, but I try for my second 5km to be just as fast as my first.

My plans? To get to the stage where I can run to work and run home again everyday. But that would be 26km every day so I have a lot of work to do!

ps. Check out findarace.com for local races.

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to ashton46]

Thanks for the info on findarace Ashton46, I think I should register to do a 10K after few more 10K on my own, and then I have an aim to work for, a motivation tool!

I am still trying to do 5K under 30 minutes, my PB so far had been 31 minutes & 2 Seconds! , that was when I ran on my own. At a Park Run the PB had been 31 minutes & 40 Seconds. Park Runners are so fast, the one runs first always runs under 20 minutes! I was happy that I was not the last! I am seriously happy though at least I am able to do a Park Run. If someone said to me in February that I would do a Park Run in July, I would think that they were just pulling my leg. Who would have thought that I would run non-stop for more than an hour, I still can't believe that I did it! Maybe when you do 10K and over it is all about stamina, being able to do it matters more than the speed. What I saw at the Park Run is though, some runners stop several times and then run faster each time they start, what I aim to do is to run all the way, never to stop, that is my personal goal, run non stop but speed if I can manage while I do so.

Run to work would be great, I would love to do that, and in fact thought of it as it is only around 5K from my Son's school to my Work (I have to drop him at School before going to work). Then I had to change my mind as I can't go to the school in running gear and also since I start work late (at 10am) can't enter a Public place (being a Civil Servant) in running gear when the ‘public’ is already there! No back entrance either. Good luck to you for your aim, it is a long run but I am sure you can do it, and you will in time to come, think of all the money savings you do while you improve your health! Good luck!!