Run 1 Bridge to 10k Complete

[IcanandIwill]

So I'm a graduate. Completed my parkrun with success. Wondering if any of you new graduates have embarked on the bridge to 10k? 

[Anaverageman Graduate]

was thinking of doing it next

[IcanandIwill Graduate in reply to Anaverageman]

Cool. Did you find you ran 5k continously after you graduated? 

[Anaverageman Graduate in reply to IcanandIwill]

that was first target ... A get to running 5k.. Then b improver time x

[jt24 Graduate]

I just hotchpotched some ideas together and ran 10k last night! 26 days post-grad Not fast, but in the bag

[IcanandIwill Graduate in reply to jt24]

Fantastic. 26 days. 

Where do you go from there? Please don't tell me there's a 20 programme. 

[jt24 Graduate in reply to IcanandIwill]

I sincerely hope not lol! Half marathon would typically be next race distance- eeek!

I'm still slow and I've a lot to learn/ work on. I still want to just work at 5k and the odd 10k. I have a 10k race I've signed up for in September, 5k in November.

Really just want to get fitter, stronger and less sweaty lol! 

[misswobble Graduate]

Yes, lots of us ☺

[IcanandIwill Graduate]

I'll rephrase the question - did those who started the 10k find they needed to get better at 5k first before embarking on it? 

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to IcanandIwill]

Hi ICAIW, no, it is the other way around. As you extend your distance getting up to 10km, you find that 5km becomes less of an effort. Please do spend some time consolidating your 5km runs if that is what you want to do, but a 3-runs-a-week program to get you to 10km could be:

5km run (parkrun??)

Longer run - increasing distance by no more than 10% each time

Shorter, intervals run.

I'd expect your 5km time to reduce as you become more proficient at running 10km.

[secan Graduate in reply to IcanandIwill]

I didn't really think of it in terms of "getting better" but in terms of consolidating.

After graduation I began running 3x 5km every week for about 4 or 5 weeks, then I swapped one of the runs for a longer one: 6.5km, 7.5km and finally 10km.

Now I am consolidating again, with 1x 10km and 2x 5km every week

[hilbean Graduate]

I did a couple of weeks consolidating the 5k but really needed something else to focus on.  I didn't do a set programme but increased distance by around 10% a week.  It worked for me

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

I missed Laura so after consolidating for a few weeks found the Sam Murphy B210k - if you search the forum you should be able to find it.  That helped (but she's not Laura!)

Then once you are up to 10k, there are some great Guardian running Apps

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Lots of folk have...Have you ventured over to the Bridge to 10K forum... scary, but wonderful!

[IcanandIwill Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Oh. I'll have a look. 

[maxeeee]

"Life after Laura". 

Finished the programme a couple of months ago and still manage to run 5k about twice a week. 

I'm trying to get to the 10k mark but finding it tough. 

Longest distance so far has been 7.5k, got here by increasing the run times by a few minutes every week. 

If anyone has any tips on getting to 10k, it would be appreciated!

[Rignold in reply to maxeeee]

Build metodically. Designate one run a week as your 'long run'. Run it slower than your normal runs. Increase the distance each week by 10% (or by 10% of your overall week's voulme if you want to fast-track it)

[misswobble Graduate]

I did stepping stones with Laura.  I ran them to pieces, chewed em up, spat em out and embarked on sami murphy b210k.   The absolute business!  I run with Sami even time I go out ☺ It kicks your ars* but is done incrementally like c25k.  She tells you when to run and when to walk and go home etc ☺

[jt24 Graduate]

I honestly think that a lot of 10k is mental too.

Doubling your distance seems huge but actually, if you're just looking to run it- as opposed to race- then if you're solid enough at 5k you are likely to be able to drop a wee bit of pace and get there.

Obviously people run for different reasons and with different goals but if 10k is your aim, you'll crack it

[Rignold]

Just make sure you have consolidated for a few weeks before upping distance. 6 weeks of 3 x times a week 30 minute or 5k runs. Your joints and so on need time to adapt and catch up.

[bulgarianlily Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Wise words, I think.

[kungfoo-panda Graduate]

Hiya, congrats to you for sticking with it and graduating.

I must admit that I graduated 2 months ago and skipped straight to the 10k program.

Not because I'm some sort of fitness freak (far from it) but I just didn't fancy all the stuff I'd read about pacing yourself and the program being difficult to follow so I found the 10k program and just followed on from week 8.

The only problem that I have found was not the extra running because I'm now actually enjoying that but I find that its difficult to fit the run in with my other stuff .

The upshot of this is that when I have time I plod on with the 10k but when time is tight I go back to week 8 or 9 and just do the 5k run.

To be honest it has not caused me any problems and it allows me to still keep running consistently 3 times a week. It just means that the training sessions are a bit mixed up .

But to be fair its quite a good cardio thing and it makes it a bit more varied instead of just doing the same old thing.

I hope that eventually things will settle down a bit and I have no doubt that eventually I will complete the 10k but my attitude is that life in general is a bit like a race and in fairness until January this year I hadn't run since I was 16 years old and now I'm 51.

3 times a week at any distance is better than 7 times a week on the settee.

Just keep pluggin away at it and you will get there eventually and above all don't get disheartened when things don't go right because there will always be bad runs but damn it don't the the good ones feel great!!!! 

[bulgarianlily Graduate]

It looked a bit scary to me. Going to wait until I can run 5 k, and maybe then some.