Ok ..what's a realistic time to bridge to 10K?

[Sandraj39]

..still happy at my 5k at the moment, but love love love my running! I want to try and build up my strength and speed over the next couple of months, and then start upping my distance maybe in the new year? Would a goal of 10k by mid March be reasonable? I am 50 btw 😮!!

Ps cannot believe I am asking this! What is happening to me??

[paulb67 Graduate]

Hi Sandra, when i got to the 5k distance i just upped my runs by 5 minutes each week. Seemed to work for me. Before you know it you will be adding km's onto your distance and will be ready for the 10K. Seemed to work for me. Once i'd hit the 10K running became a lot easier. 2 weeks after i was out for a run, got to the 10, felt good so carried on going Forest Gump style. Ended up doing 14!. I don't do that often, normally i now do 1 x 5k, 1 x 8k and then a longer one at the weekend. But if i don't feel great i don't push it. You've probably found yourself that some days it feels easier than others.

[poppypug Graduate]

Hi Sandra, 10k by mid March is perfectly do-able , no problem at all !

When I did the GMR I hadnt even got to 10k in my training . I was working up to it and then was off for weeks with dodgy hips !

I would agree with Paul above, just add on 1k each week . You are doing 5k now very comfortably by the sounds of it , so you will be fine honestly.

Are you thinking of entering an event ? xxx

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Just looking at the moment poppy, but quite like the idea of the Richmond River 10K in March. About an hours drive for me but more importantly its apparantly nice and flat! We'll see!

[Sharonb9999 Graduate]

Speaking as a person who will be 50 in April (which I can hardly believe by the way) I got to 10km by adding 0.5km to my weekly long run. I kept the 2 runs in the week the same and added the extra bit on my Saturday run. It worked well for me. I did my first 10km race at the end of September - by that time I had the 10km distance under my belt and to get a bit more pace I followed a My Asics plan. Then, I did another one 2 weeks later and chopped 3 minutes off my previous time (flatter course). I'm not fast - actually very slow - but being able to run 10km feels fantastic. I'm hoping to take part in a half marathon next May. I figure that I'll build up like I did to get to 10km. Like you, I love running, and that is something I never ever thought would be the case.

[Ugifer]

Completely agree with the others above - add distance slowly and 5k to 10k by March should be a walk (or rather a run) in the park.

Typically once runners get over 5k-ish they often split their workouts into a "standard" run, a shorter, faster run (perhaps as intervals) and a "long", slow run.

If you keep 2 runs at 5k and extend your third run by 0.5k or 1k a week, you could easily be comfortable at 10k once a week within 5-10 weeks. You don't have to be running 3 x 10k. If you get to 10k well before March, you can always trade one of your 5ks for faster intervals, which will enhance your strength and speed at all distances.

Go for it! And happy running!

Ugi

Edit: Sharon's reply crossed with me writing this, but it's good to see we all agree!

[Hidden]

10k would be more than achievable by March, good luck

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Adding 10% of your weekly mileage to your longest run is the recommended maximum increase, at which rate you can get to 10k in just a few weeks.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Thanks for all your replies - sounds achievable.

[givman]

hi sandra

i would up my longest run (be it 30 mins or thereabouts) by five minutes a week and see how it goes...remember each run should be about time on your feet and rest days are as important as training days!!