10 miles +

[Pianism]

Morning everyone. Put the kettle on, folks... this is a bit of a ramble!

I don't get on here a lot nowadays but, fear not, I'm happily puttering around Stockport, keeping my fitness up and my weight down. Running really has become a way of life for me now and, despite picking up the occasional injury, I can't ever see me stopping. I think back to what I put my body through during the first 43 years of my life and, frankly, I'm still amazed even to be able to run to the end of the street!

Milestones are much fewer and further-between nowadays as you can imagine, but I thought I'd check in as I pass the 10 miles mark.

Following the debilitating foot problems I had towards the back end of last year, plus a pretty major crash in my mental health, I picked up again at the turn of the year and have been running quite reliably since then. I've managed to rope my other half into parkrun, and I've begun running home from the office once per week (around 8 miles).

I'm off work this week and so set out this morning with a view to getting up to 10 miles. I wasn't overly optimistic before setting off as I've been having a few niggles in my upper legs these past few days and the 8-mile commute already feels like an absolute killer. Well, running on an empty stomach first thing in the morning definitely suits me as today's run felt like a dream. I used Nike Run Club's 10-mile run as I find Coach Bennett's tips extremely helpful and it feels like I've got some company as I run. Interestingly, the Nike app disagreed significantly with my trusty Garmin, an issue that has been written about by my friend UnfitNoMore I don't mind a bit of a difference but coach Bennett called 10 miles when by Garmin was at only 14.5k, which I was quite shocked by. Whilst I'm given to believe that phone GPS is more reliable than watch GPS, I'm inclined to believe the Garmin in this case as I'd mapped out the route beforehand.

Anyhow, I wanted to make absolutely sure and so turned around a bit later than the 5 mile mark, meaning my total run was 16.5k. Most definitely 10 miles +. 3 Parkruns and an extra lap for good measure. Wow!

Rather slower than my usual pace but I was being particularly cautious as I DO NOT need another injury at this stage of my preparations for the Manchester half-Marathon in May. My experienced runner friends tell me that once you can do 10 miles, you're ready to do the half, so I reckon I'm ready early.

So keep on keeping on, dear friends. This time last year I was struggling my way through C25k, having not run since school. If I can do this, so can you!

[Granspeed Graduate]

Wahoo, Pianism. What a milestone (literally!). Well done. 👍🎉👏🏼🎉🎶🎉 Who’d a thunk it a year ago, eh? You have done so well. And glad to hear things are looking up, too. Roll on Spring. 😄

[Comfortnotspeed]

How lovely to have this catch up from you! Good luck with the half marathon 👍

[Couchpotato2 Graduate]

So great to hear from you and great to read that you are going from strength to strength. I cant believe the distances you are running now, seriously impressed. Well done on getting through the hard time and coming out stronger. As you know I’m also a fan of the nrc, just feels like someone is with you and when Bennett says, you did it, you are actually on your own there, I’m always surprised! I suppose I did do it keep running and do post!!

[Buddy34 Graduate]

How great to hear from you and congratulations on reaching 10 miles that's quite an achievement. 🥳🥳

Good luck with the HM

[Debston Graduate]

Lovely update from you, Pianism! Well done on reaching your new milestone and onwards and upwards to your half marathon. ☺

[RunaroundSue]

Well done, you have worked so hard this past year. And you have certainly overtaken me

[Fionamags Graduate]

How fantastic. There's hope for me yet

[karen50plus Graduate]

Hello , as a newbie to c25k di you have any tips for the longer runs / speed / distance . I ran the parkrun route alone last week according to “Laura” on my trusted app, but the 20 minutes running only took me half way ( 2:5 k ) . Should I now try to speed up cos at the moment i m just ecstatic I can breathe and keep putting one foot in front of the other . 🥵

[Pianism Graduate in reply to karen50plus]

I'm really not an expert, but the advice I got from this forum stood me in good stead, which was...

- just concentrate on running for the amount of time specified at a pace where you can speak in full sentences, so you

- get to graduation without injuring yourself, so you can

- consolidate your 30 minute runs until it's become a habit, meaning you can then

- start to mix things up doing intervals, fartleks, hit reps and the myriad other options available to you as a fledgling runner.

All the very best of good luck and injury free running! X

Ps - it was months before I ran 5k in 30 minutes, and I'm over that at the moment at the parkrun I'm doing because there's a dirty-great hill twice! Hehe

[karen50plus Graduate in reply to Pianism]

Thank you . Very kind of you to reply 😇

One day my 🐌 May turn into a 🐇 ( Hare ) .......🤷‍♀️.....😉

[Hidden]

Wonderful to hear from you again Pianism and great to read what you have been up to in your inspirational post.

I didn't quite make it to graduation last year, pulling up with an injury during week 9, but I'm back now and ran w6r1 this morning along the Ayrshire coast. I'm visiting my in-laws in Scotland so doing my first tourist runs of this c25k journey. I plan to run in my native Cheshire later in the week before I head back down to the lovely South Downs where I now live.

Good luck with the HM in May. A whole marathon next year maybe?

[Pianism Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Lovely to hear from you and glad you are still running. I think it'll be two years before a full marathon! One thing I've learned is that my body isn't as willing as my mind!

[Speedy60 Graduate]

Inspiring post, thank you. I'm just starting my affair with Coach Bennett.

[Pianism Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Enjoy! He must end up quite tired at the end of an average week.

[lexi6 Graduate]

Congratulations on reaching 10 miles Pianism , what a confidence boost for your HM in May. 😊

[JonathanP Graduate]

Many congratulations on your first 10 miles Pianism - a milestone worth celebrating!👍🎉 All the best for your forthcoming half!😀

[Papillon17 Graduate]

Well done Pianism on your achievement.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Good stuff. Your friend is right... 10 miles in training will get you there. I was supposed to get to 15 in training for mine but injury meant I only got to 10.25... on the day I could have run a bit more than the distance, some of which I’m putting down to the support in the last half mile!

GPS is a bit strange between watch and phone... my phone is definitely the more accurate in good network coverage with tree cover, but a bit further out of town I’ve seen that reverse. I tend to run to the watch as that means I get more running in on average. I’m looking at upgrading the Garmin, possibly severely, and then the extra £60ish to get a footpod won’t seem so bad! The test I saw had only the polar 800 beat the iPhone 5s, but all the footpod type devices thrashed the GPS only devices, phone or watch. My, 12 year old, walking GPSr reads differently to both devices and much more as measured on map... but sadly doesn’t give running analysis. It’s a little cumbersome too.

Nice job on the 10 miles plus... I finished my first 10 miler laughing at the memory of how far my first mile run seemed just a few months before.

[Jogunlikely Graduate]

Great to hear from you. Congratulations on the 10m, awesome achievement esp given your foot issues etc. 👏👏👍👍💪🏃‍♂️🎉🏆🥇😊

Happy running xx

[TailChaser Graduate]

Hi Pianism! I wondered where you were! Congratulations on your 10 miles, and that’s a good pace too. Have you been up to get your badge yet?

Good luck with the HM, looks like you’ll storm it! 👏👏👏

[Pianism Graduate in reply to TailChaser]

Didn't know there was a badge to be got! Which forum is that?

[TailChaser Graduate in reply to Pianism]

Pop along to the Marathon Support forum, there’s all sorts of bling on offer there. I think there’s a pinned post to the right if you’re on a PC.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

That’s such a long way i can’t imagine running that far or that long but i am aiming for 10k by end of this year

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

That's an excellent time for a first 10 miler, it took me three attempts to get below 2 hours. It is very definitely a stepping stone to HM. All you need to do is run 5 miles to your next parkrun, run the parkrun, then run 5 miles home again and HM is in your pocket.

[Katnap Graduate]

Nice! You've gone under my 10 miles time.

Well done and keep doing what you're doing as it seems to be working!

[Vintage61 Graduate]

Just back in here after a long lay off. Good to see your post. Thx again for your inspiration 👍🏻