Week 7 help, 10% rule

[Tracey3547]

Week 7 so much harder than week 6! I’ve completed run 1 and 2, having my rest days, hydrating, stretching and slowing my pace right down!

Can someone explain the 10% rule? Is thus why I’m so tired? I’m feeling like I’m never going to enjoy this running lark.

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

I don’t know the 10% rule but well done 😊

[MummyBearof3]

I know it sounds counterintuitive but stretching is not your friend. See this article recommended to me by a physio.

Stretching before running could make you less efficient and therefore tire more easily.

semrc.blogs.latrobe.edu.au/...

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MummyBearof3]

Depends on the stretches... static ones, as the article refers to, will decrease joint stability for the run ahead... and thus cause some extra injuries... dynamic stretches are OK beforehand.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

The 10% rule refers to additional weekly running by distance... there’s a much lower risk of injury when someone keeps the additional milage within 10% of the week before’s total than there is just “going for it”

Week 7 fractures that rule (though it doesn’t really as most coaches agree that it only really applies once you’re running about 10 miles a week).

However, the answer to your fatigue is in that theory... you’re doing all 25 minute runs... your weekly running total (a flowing number based on your last three runs) is now at 75, the highest they’ve been on the plan. Your body is feeling the ever increasing load. The good news is you get a break from that next run... your total is going to remain 75 minutes... then week 8 goes 78, 81, 84 and week 9 takes it up two minutes every run. Slowing down a little to compensate when the load is rising is sensible, so don’t resist doing so.

Once you’ve graduated we advise consolidation... so your weekly running will remain at 90 minutes... until it becomes comfortable/easy to complete a 30 minute run... at this point you’ll probably start to enjoy it more, that’s when I really fell in love with running.

Hope this helps.

[Tracey3547 Graduate]

Thankyou for your help, I understand it now. Finished week 7 run 3 this morning, slower then week 7 run 2 but I could pick up the pace for the last 2mins and I feel like my strides are getting longer and my rhythmical. Excited to see how I go on week 8! I only started running to help me deal with my anxious/stress of working for the nhs whilst we are battling covid. It’s really helped in so many aspects of my life.