In a weak moment I signed up for the Great South Run in October (last completed in 1997 and never run that far since, until Tuesday). I am regularly running 2 or 3 times a week, including a fairly competitive (25' ish) Parkrun most Saturdays. To build up to the GSR I have set myself monthly targets to extend a "long slow" run by 2k a month and a "race pace" (5'45"/k ish) run by 1k a month. Progress to date has been documented in the monthly quest threads over on the B210K forum. The "race pace" run is up to 11k and will neatly reach 16k in October, but my query concerns the "long slow", which got up to 16k, so race distance, this week (in around 1 hour 40).
So, the question for you guys and gals who like to run a long way - should I continue extending the "long slow" distance by 2k a month, to make the race in October seem just a short little jog, or stick at 16k and try to bring the time down each month?
I should perhaps add that (1) I reached 68 years young this week, (2) I don't want to / physically can't do more than these 2 runs over 10k each month and (3) noting that adding 2k a month would take me into HM territory by October, I have no burning or latent ambition ever to run a competitive HM - 10 miles in a race will be plenty
Thanks in advance - onwards and upwards!!
Written by
UpTheStanley
Half Marathon
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I am not experienced in 10 mile race lore, but I'd think it might be nice to go a little further than 10 miles to get the "short little jog" confidence you mention. From what you are also saying, though, it seems to me that you don't really want to run toooo much further, so maybe keep the focus on your race pace and your speedy parkrun.
So I'm building up to 15mile long slow runs over the next few months while incorporating some HM races along route.
I'm thinking of as it consolidating HM distance for the remainder of the year to build up stamina for stronger longer runs next year....long term goals and all that
Understood! From what I have been reading if you want to do regular 10 mile runs then your long run should be a little longer and A LOT slower than your race pace. If I recall correctly about 45sec per km. Eg my HM pace is 5:30 so my long slows should be at 6:15's per km at a minimum..possibly a little slower depending on HR zones etc
Sounds like you are doing great! If you have no desire to go beyond 10m then as Roseabi suggests increasing to ~11 miles? may make the race seem ‘nice and short’ 😁. Maintaining your fitness and distance sounds good, and with your parkrun as a speed session you have a good mix.
Totally unscientific but...comparing my "stats" to yours all I can surmise is that if you cannot do a ten miles in a fair old time, I'll eat my running pants!
I went from ten k to ten miles with far less prep and WAY less kph than you and did the Army ten miler last year non-stop.
The HUGE key for me was my motivation. I was really wanting to run at Ft. Bragg, was entered with an old and valued friend, the enterants were all positive people and some of them really encouraged me along the way, I promised myself a spending spree at the PX afterwards especially if I did it non-stop AND - knowing my Forum Friends were hoping I'd have a great run really kept me going
It's a "tough" distance, but not an "exhausting" one for me. The two HMs I've done were not good fun - about mile twelve I was fairly miserable tbh - but I'm doing the Marine Corp HM in September hoping it will be a better experience. If it is, I won't do another because I just want to do one "good" one and then have more fun with the shorter events
FM for me would not be "tough" or "exhausting"....it would be "bloody brutal" so I shelved any ambition I used to have about that
Anyway, if I could go from my longest distance yet of seven miles to my first ten miles while I don't recommend doing that, it does show it can be done First ten was a morning everything just felt "right" - though I more or less fell down rather than lay down at the end - and it proved to me I could do ten miles (but needed to be a bit more sensible about prepping for subsequent ones
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/ physically can't do 
more than these 2 runs over 10k each month and (3) noting that adding 2k a month would take me into HM territory by October, I have no burning or latent ambition ever to run a competitive HM - 10 miles in a race will be plenty 
Really struggling to achieve distance
Speeding up longer distance runs
Reached 10 miles target!
20km distance achieved, but has ended with peas-on-knee situation 😱
Long Distance and Long Time Advice Please
