Help - long enough to prep for a 10km?!

[Chester01]

I’m currently on Wk4R2, and seriously considering booking into a 10km run on 7th April (I dont intend to break any records 🙈!). In reality I’m taking things relatively steady and only doing c3km in my 30 mins at present. Has anyone aimed for similar in an 8 week timescale or am I being too over ambitious?! Any comments /advice welcome. As well as running i’m Just starting a yoga class and one personal training session a week and also ride my horse usually 2 or 3 times a week so not totally unfit but definitely not fit!

[damienair Graduate]

I would forget about a 10K until after the summer if I was you. Finish the C25K plan and then just spend a few months getting used to running 5K 3 times per week. Start doing Parkrun and develop your running legs. Then when your comfortable at 5K start adding 0.5K onto 1 longer run per week. Work it up slowly. But most of all enjoy.

Damien

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

To be honest you might be asking a lot of your body, you have another 5 weeks to get 30 mins running, even if you get to 5km in the next 5 weeks that only leaves you 3 weeks to double up to 10km. The average 10km plans take you from 5-10km between 8 - 12 weeks after 30 mins running. Have a look at the event you are interested in sometimes they do a 5km alongside the 10km, that might suit you more. If not there is always next year and you could get some park runs under your belt before hand and be really ready for it.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Its only 62 days until 7th April, if you were running a 5K it would certainly be OK but a 10K, no, I think you are pushing it a bit, 9 weeks for a 5k, training for a 10K is about another 8 or so weeks so April 7 is just too soon, if it had been September 7 that would be OK, there are a lot of 10K runs around September so I would train for that month, not April.

[Zarquon]

Take it steady and don’t rush. The more you run the more you’ll learn how things work and what you can do.

Don’t rule anything out but pushing the envelope early can lead to injury and then annoying breaks to recover.

As an example I’m 53, always exercised. I lift (power lifting) and cycle. I’ve a bunch of chronic injuries. As cycling in winter is a pain in the ass I started running. I am in wk2. Heart and lungs find it easy, muscles are happy joints as expected will take time as will movement patterns from the road bike which interfere with running a bit. So I will do it in little steps and have a think later. The point is that we all have time and taking the time is the key to doing something for a long time. Hope this helps.

[Chester01 Graduate]

Thanks everyone, i’m Known for being a bit too enthusiastic so think I needed this reality check, i’ll Look for one later in the year and be sensible 👍

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The mantra of slow and steady progress which we hope we instill during C25K is one that it is wise to take with you into the remainder of your running career.

Too much too soon is a phrase used by many physics treating new runner's first injuries.

You might be able to do it and technically fit it within the 10% rule used for increasing training load, but the timetable is very tight and it is advisable to consolidate at 5k/30 minutes in the first few weeks after graduation, simply to become comfortable with that duration before pushing on.

Possible, maybe not advisable, unless you accept that you might have to walk some of the event.

[MarkyD Graduate]

I'm with everyone else: a 10km run in April would be ambitious, and you would risk injury if you tried to train for it.

But it all depends upon the 10km run. If it is a "serious" 10km run organised by a running club, then it would be expected that you run all of it. However, if it is a charity 10km run organised by your local school PTA, then it would attract more 'recreational' runners and you could plan to walk/run the course ("Jeffing" after Jeff Galloway jeffgalloway.com/training/r...

I've no doubt that you are capable of walking 10km, so the only consideration for you is whether you want to walk much of the April run. If you want to run it all, then find an event in the Autumn, and after a few weeks of consolidation post-C25K graduation, find Ju-Ju's 10km plan on the "Bridge to 10km" HealthUnlocked site.

[Makka62a Graduate]

If you want a target why not find a 5km run or maybe a park run ? 10k does feel like an invitation to injury