Hello everyone, I'm back for some inspirations encouragement from you lovely people. I graduated about a month ago and have felt a bit lost since then so decided to sign up for a 10k on Sunday. It's in six weeks. I found a six week plan online which involves running four times a week and increasing distances week.
Ran yesterday and it was hard! Wondering if I've been over ambitious or if a challenge is what I need??
I reckon you can do it :). The injury risk is higher, but it's possible.
Have a think about this - have a look at C25K Week 6 Day 1, The run/walk components of that are 5-3-8-3-5mins. You know that you can easily do that - IF you did it 3 times over, you would do 72 minutes -- you would probably be very close to completing 10K in that time or maybe finish before that -- You would have 6 weeks to increase doing W6D1 from just once to 3 times over 
Many ways to kill a bird!!
Or you could simply build up your C25K 30 minutes non-stop to 60 minutes +
I found that after completing C25K, my non-stop running was still a bit "ploddish" - so I trained for my first 10K race using run/walk - but eventually ran it non-stop. But it was the run/walk training over a period of about 6 weeks that got me fit enough to run the 10K non-stop ( at night, pouring rain and a thunder storm!!!)
I abandoned a 10k training plan because it was forcing me to do too much too soon and just gradually increased my long run each week until I reached 10k. Assuming you are doing 3x5k runs at the moment, if you increase your long run by the recommended 10% of weekly mileage guide, then that run will become 6.5k, 8.2k and in the third week 10k, so easily accomplished within your six weeks.
My belief is that while the training plans may deliver optimum results if carried out by experienced runners, they are often too complex and pushy if all you want to do is complete the distance on the day.
Achieving the distance before race day is a great psychological boost, but do remember to taper off in the week before. Again, from personal experience, the slightly longer rest before the testing run returns better results for me than doing even a very gentle short run the day before.
Take it easy and enjoy it and don't push too hard.
I didn't use a plan to get to 10k. I just made some of my runs longer ones - guided more by 'salience' than strict measures (eg to a particular bridge over a canal or whatever) and then went for it, gently. But I wasn't going to be participating in any particular event.
My hunch is that running every other day will be plenty - so that would be 4 days some weeks and 3 others, but you'd always have a recovery day between each session.
I agree with IT. Just increase your distance on one run per week and mix up the other two runs (maybe try the stamina or speed podcast and then have a gentle shorter run as well).
If you're not quite there on race day, don't hesitate to walk some if it and then finish with a nice sprint
I think I got to 10k within 6 weeks and that was by running three times per week without a fixed plan.
I ran 10k a week after graduating, though that's unusual and I hadn't set out to do it, it just sort of happened. Just don't try to push yourself to run too fast, and listen to your body if it grumbles to you.
As for the event, it wouldn't be a disaster if you had to take a couple of walking breaks. I bet you'll see people do that on the day.
Only u can decide. However, I will share my experience. I graduated 2 weeks ago and started a 10K programme the following week. It took me in At week 9 with 4 x 10 min runs and 1 min recovery walks. Didn't look too bad but as we are recommended a 10% per week increase in run time, it was more than that.
I did three runs on the first week and both knees began to become sore, something I had not seen before. I had to drop the programme and I have done one run this week of 30 minutes, knee still aching. I should have allowed my body to recover from the 5K programme first.
Depends on ur fitness levels though, maybe u r super fit. Julie 😀
Do as IT suggests and abandon the training plan. Ease up the length of one run a week until you get towards 10K. Ideally, it would be nice to run a 10K before your race. However, if you can manage 8K by race day the atmosphere will get you round the final 2K (and if it doesn't - just walk it, as others will be doing). Just don't push too hard, too fast. Take it slowly for 3 runs a week and you'll be fine.
Hi i went up to 10k in a similar time frame so it's doable! Believe u can do it don't put yourself under a lot of pressure! don't be afraid to tailor a plan to suit you better! Esp if say you find 4 runs a wk 2 much I did 3. I did constant runs with gradual increases rather than run walk as I don't enjoy that since graduating! Good luck and enjoy it!
Thanks for all the helpful advice and support. I'm sure I'll be back for more help in the next six weeks.
I followed a similar structure to that suggested by IT above (one longer run each week) and reached 10K about 5 weeks after graduating.
You can achieve your goal quite comfortably as long as you go about it sensibly.
Week Six 
Week six tick! 
Week five down - week six starts today
Week six and first comment.
Second time around - six years later
