As you know (no going back now I suppose) I'm doing a 10K race at the end of the month. Having never run that far before (8K to date - once) I really want to convince myself I can do the distance before the day. That means a long run this weekend so I can taper off training for the 2 weeks before the race so I'm rested and ready...
I did a 5K on Monday and I want to do the 10K on Saturday or Sunday...
Question is - what should I do tomorrow? A 5K? A 7K? A walk?
I suspect given I did 17K last week (total) that perhaps a 5K is in order to be well rested for the 10K on the weekend?? Thoughts?
Hi Aussie- I would do the 5k. When I did my 10k race I only signed up a few days beforehand and didn't have time to prepare like I would have liked, but all was ok on the day. I reckon if you do 5k tomorrow, 10k on Saturday or Sunday will be fine. Enjoy and take it steady! x
Thanks! I think you're right (and my instinct tells me the same thing)... I know I don't "need" to run the 10K before the race, but there's a mental thing about knowing you can do it beforehand I think...
Last week was 5, 5 and 7 so this week being 5, 5 and 10 is enough of a push before the "shorter runs" in the 2 weeks before the race...
Wow Kitty, 8k!! Good for you! Hope all goes well. I did a lovely slow 5k this morning just to prove to myself I could, but can't see myself hitting 8k anytime soon. Really pleased your run/stretch/run formula has worked so well for you. Go Kitty!!!
I'm with everyone else Aussie, 5k sounds like the best idea to me, so your legs are good and fresh for the 10k at the weekend. Good luck. You can do it
Aussie - if you look at Jeff Galloway programmes ( which are mainly for longer distances than 10K) , he does one long run per week and the other two runs he recommends are merely 30 minute "maintenance" runs -- in other words his primary training tool is simply the weekly long run.
I would do a 7 k if it was me, which it isn't. I would have run a 10 k previously before race day to prove to myself that I could do it.
Morning all - a lovely slow 5K this morning in sunny Helsinki... far too many pints last night made it extra tough but I got the miles on the shoes (to use Bazza's phrase) so I'm happy with that...
My race isn't until the 26th so I've got some time this weekend to pound out 10K and see how I go - then it's time to relax and do some 20 minute runs in the weeks ahead just to keep myself rested...
Then the real work begins after that - 3-4 months of solid base building - maintenance runs and one long run a week... 4-6 months of that and only then will I think about "what next"... I love this running thing... I'm hooked!
Aussie -- Have you had a look at Phil Maffetones writings --some swear by his training methods , others just say that it is too difficult ( to run slow and below a very low heart rate) -- I am starting to see where he comes from. Running very slowly for 3-4 months would be very painful.
G'day Bazza - I have had a look and I like the concept and it makes complete sense. The issue (and the challenge) is that my target rate of 123-133 would mean I'd start "walking" a 5K in the first weeks... The point is, and he makes it very well, that this would very quickly turn into being able to "slowly jog" and then finally "run" at that low rate... it's building up "proper" fitness I guess (to your previous post, we're all babies at this really)...
Hard to get your head around the fact a "brisk walk" would slowly turn into a run at the same heart rate though... I think a lot of us like to think going faster makes us fitter.. which isn't "necessarily" true (you know what I mean)....
I am a big fan of slower running now though.. it's hard though... I didn't think it would be!
Are you saying that you have a heart rate of 123-133 when you are walking???? Actually, there is one thing I don' t like about his method - I can't really see how it works for runners!! -- rowers, yes. Runners in a gym- yes . But runners on the road - there is a little thing called -- HILLS!! I cannot run at any kind of "constant" heart rate because of hills!!! I have only very recently however come to understand the concept of running at a slow pace (monitored by a GPS thingie telling me if I am running too fast or too slow) . I have done it (as part of B210K) for the past few days - and completing the tasks while making myself conform to the set low pace is somehow strangely satisfying. I have a theory that running to a set lowish pace for longish distances and for some time until it becomes "unbearable" ( at which time the pace can be upped for another sequence) would have the same effect as Maffetone's methods Anyway, it gives me something to think about and play with while I get some more miles up And if you are a naturally slow runner (like me) , it gives you great justification to run even slower !!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Race for life 10k tomorrow 
Graduates - how often / far do you run?
How far am I actually running?
How far?
Week 6 and how far I've travelled.
