Should I or shouldn't I...

[Peter_B]

I discovered yesterday that my home town has a 10K event in the middle of June.

Now I've found myself pondering whether to enter it or not. Trouble is, it's only 7 weeks away and until this morning the furthest I'd run was 5K.

This morning I started with the Bluefin B210K podcasts, which I had planned to do anyway as I had been planning 1 B210K, 1 interval run and a 5K parkrun per week. I'm now contemplating scrapping the interval run and doing 2 B210K runs and a parkrun each week. Or if I can't do the parkrun then I'll do 3 B210K ones.

With keeping the parkruns as sacred, I'll have to skip a couple of the B210K runs to be able to get to the end of the plan before the 10K. I'm thinking that missing a couple of the early week runs, where it's 3 of the same run each week, won't be too detrimental.

I wouldn't be looking to set any records. From the pace I ran at this morning (did 5.85km in 43 mins - 4 lots of 10min run followed by 1 min walk, taking it pretty easy) I think I could possibly do the 10 in about 1 hour 15. Which would put me firmly in the last few finishers based on last years results.

Can I get up to 10K in the next 7 weeks? Should I even attempt it?

The cut off for entry is 4th June, and I think you can enter on the day. So I might see how I get on and see how I feel nearer the time.

There is also another one in Oxford a week later (thanks to Steve_L for the heads up), that is also tempting me. If I can be ready to do one 10K in 7 weeks, would I be able to do two in 7 days?

[Steve_L Graduate]

You'll only know once you've tried. I've done one every Monday for the last three weeks with no ill effects, and I do three other 5ks (including Parkrun) each week.

I think everyone's different when it comes to increasing distance. I was going to use one of the bridge plans, but then, as you know, just kind of accidentally gently ran it once and was able to repeat it. Operation_2015 did the same thing. I'd hesitate to say you could read your 5k pace over to a 10k. My own 10k PB from Yesterday was equivalent to two 35min 5ks back to back, and I can do 5k in under 33 minutes now.

I think you have to decide how to go about it for yourself. Perhaps try a long, gentle run once and see how you do and if it's no good, fall back on the plan?

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Go for it.

The step from 5k to 10k is much smaller than the zero to 5k than you did under c25k.

Any (truncated) plan would require/suggest that you do one long run per week so you should gradually increase the distance of that long run.

[hilbean Graduate]

If you work on increasing your long run by 10% every week that would give you 10k or thereabouts in 7 weeks. Once you've done one I really think you would be fine to repeat another in 7 days' time after that one.

Be warned though..... that first 10k gives you a real buzz and you might find you're tempted to increase your distance further

[Tomas Graduate]

With a 10% increase week on week, you can double your distance in 8 weeks, and if you're at 5.85 km today, you've already done the first 10%. So yep, you can get to 10 km in the time without any serious risk of injury. Take it easy, of course, and listen to your body as always.

[Peter_B Graduate]

Thanks for the input guys.

Looking at the schedule for the Bluefin podcasts, the first 4 weeks are all ones where each run is the same, with the running segments increasing by a few minutes each week. I think I'd be ok to just do 2 runs from each of those weeks.

That should give me time to do the last 2 weeks of the plan 'properly' and see where I am distance wise. With the possibility of pushing the distance (sensibly) to get to 10K.

[Hidden]

Well you already run 5k fairly regularly don't you and you're fitter than you were ? I think you can certainly get to 10k by the middle of June, it will give you a good incentive....You know you want to....

[c4ts Graduate]

You know you want to - and it is great to support the local event (I said that when I found the local Council supporting a 10K - despite the fact that it was 150 mile round trip away - thats what comes of living in a very wide local authority!!) Go and enjoy it.

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

You already know you want to do it. Do it. If you come last, you have something to beat next year (but you won't come last).

[poppypug Graduate]

Yep , do it , do both !

Fortune favours the brave, who dares wins n' all that

Go for it Peter ! xxx

[Madge50 Graduate]

Hey Peter, I would say, do it, book that 10k, if you get to 8k on your longer runs you can definitely do 10k, I did my first 10k 'official' race a couple of weeks ago, did get to 10k then got a calf/Achilles injury, didn't run for 3 weeks, then had only 4 weeks until the 10k, I just decided to keep slow and steady, and that worked for me, my official time was 1hr 19, still had a sore leg, but I just took it easy. And that was doing 2 runs a week, park run and one longer run.

It was a real buzz, you'll love it, go for it! 😃

Mx

[misswobble Graduate]

You could crunch your numbers into a myasics plan. Based on 3 runs a week, easy pace, I think it's do-able. I'd go for it!

[old_git Graduate]

Go for it Peter! 10% increase on your long run each week and you'll be there.

There are a few of us who have stepped up to 10 K (and beyond) over the last few weeks. If an old timer like me can do it, I'm sure you'll be fine.

[Peter_B Graduate]

Thanks all.

I'm leaning towards maybe almost definitely doing it

I'll see how the next few weeks pan out, whether I'm able to stick to my plan or not and if I can get up to somewhere near the distance.

If I don't do this one I will keep an eye out for another one in the future.

[dagshar Graduate in reply to Peter_B]

Hi Peter, just saw this today.... Have you come to a conclusion? I am in a similar position. Only finished C25K a week ago, and after running 5.18km on the bank holiday monday I got a bit carried away and entered a 10k race at the end of June (I mainly entered this event, because I liked the idea of running in parkland rather than on a road, but also because my race for life isn't until mid July and that seemed such a long time away)..... so overall probably similar timing - I have 7-8 weeks....I am planning to try and get ready as much as I can and then if necessary include some walk breaks in the last third (I hope I can manage the first two thirds by then). Good luck and let me know how you get on!

[Peter_B Graduate in reply to dagshar]

I've still not entered as yet. Am in the process of following a B210K plan and am up to week 4 (skipping a few runs from the early weeks).

I'm going to give it a couple more weeks and see how I'm doing time and distance wise. I'm doing about 7.5km in 56 mins at the moment.

If I'm up to the distance (or think I'll be able to manage it on the day) and not tremendously slow then I'll enter.

Good luck with your race.

[Peter_B Graduate]

Well there is now less than 2 weeks to the event I originally had in mind.

Running situation:-

- Have done one 10K so far in 1hr 16.

- Haven't yet done any runs simulating the hills on the event course.

Plan for this week:-

- Another 10K tomorrow and try to include some hills in there.

- Same again for Thursday.

- parkrun on Saturday.

Having looked again at the times for last year, my 1hr 16 will put me firmly in the last few places - if not dead last. That has given me a bit of a wobble. Not too keen on being the last one back (daft I know).

So, should I do it?

If I don't do it then I don't know when I might be able to take part in an event. The other one I had in mind, in Oxford, is now closed for entries and there aren't that many taking place in my area.