new member introduction

[Gentlydoesnt]

hello there , I put a post asking for advice of were to look after completing the 10k new year programme and this was mentioned in a post so here I am. Have ran 10k 4 times now so hoping to get advice as to how to progress further with this . Have been running just under 6 months from the C25K and onwards thanks.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Hi Gentlydoesn’t ; I have just seen your post after completing a recovery run. The first leggingless run of Spring!

This is a really good time to start extending distance; it will open all sorts of runs for you through the summer and autumn.

Getting from 10k to 10 miles is pretty straightforward. Many of us adopted the 3 runs per week pattern with one of those being the long run extending week by week. I have found that some strengthening exercises help too. Plenty of audio programmes around. If you don’t mind a coach talking to you as you run, they can be a big help. I used the Nike Run Club HM app, from which I learned a lot about pace and stride length. There is also a Nike Training Club app if you fancy some strength exert and Yoga without the frills. Both apps are free. You can keep in touch by joining our weekly chats which start on Monday mornings; lots of people with experience post there. I hope that gives you a start any way! We are a pretty happy/crazy crowd …sense of humour is heavily recommended!

[RiceAndPeas Marathon]

You're not far off a 10 mile run already. Just keep enjoying getting out for a run, take your time and building the distance will come as a matter of course. For me it's all about enjoying the process but don't go for sudden big increases in speed or distance. That often results in injuries.

Oh and a very big welcome Gentlydoesnt ! 👋

[nowster Metric Marathon]

As others have said, it's all a matter of keeping up the weekly activity levels and gradually increasing your longest session each week (and the occasional week where you have less activity).

At some point you will hit a point where you end a long run with rubber legs and find you can't walk properly for a couple of minutes.

This is quite normal and you'll get past that stage. It happened to me on my first 13km run. It doesn't happen to me now. I suspect it's something to do with the leg muscles adapting to burning different fuels. A sugary snack might help.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to nowster]

Last evening I thought I’d stretch the run out a little longer to see how I felt physically, I decided to up my distance from 10km which was my longest thus far since commencing to 12km. I used Nike Run Club and ran not in any pre thought route exactly but until I got to 6km away from home and then turned around and went back exactly the same way. Took a supply of haribo sweets in my pocket as had no jelly babies to hand!. Was feeling ok then at 9km my i watch battery gave up the ghost so was running without time prompts for the last 3 km. with what juice the watch had left I calculated I had ran for 75 minutes all told shame the watch doesn’t hold charge as long as a phone. But the sugar sweets helped a bit I would say!. What was funny was it was rush hour and the cars were all moving approx 2 car lengths every 10 seconds or so and I thought I’m making a lot more progress then these are !!. I can say that 12 for sure is the most I’ve ever ran distance wise in these 60 years nearly without stopping , at school we used to do cross country in the winter but it was no where near this distance so that’s my lifetime best and it felt like a personal accomplishment to be honest.

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

A few months ago I measured the hated middle school cross country course on the map. It was only about a mile! My shortest runs these days are longer than that.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to nowster]

I guess mine would have been the same to be fair, we ran to the local park and back!, a lot of the kids hated it I’d say at least 90% but I was always keen on it back then and never was out of the top three - happy days!.

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

Sadly I was not a lover of the cross country. I had flat feet and got my only ever experience of exercise induced asthma (terrifying at the time) due to the sadist PE teacher chivvying us along.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles]

thanks so for the next few weeks 3 runs of 5/6/8 , 5/7/10 and 5/8/11 should be ok to try

[RiceAndPeas Marathon]

See how you get on, it should be ok. Your body will soon let you know if it needs a rest. Let us know how you to get on.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to RiceAndPeas]

Thanks I’ll start on Saturday morning as I did 6km today , but not having any program to follow I just thought do 6 and see how you go!.

[Tessie66 Metric Marathon]

Why not look at the Nike run club app or any other and what about booking a 10k or half marathon race

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Hi. A very warm welcome to you 😊 10 miles is a great milestone, and not too far off for you either. We'll have a shiny 10 mile badge, polished and waiting for you.I agree with what others have said about gradually increasing mileage. Your suggestion looks good but I'll add a few more thoughts.

First, increasing beyond 10k can find any weaknesses you may be carrying , and for that reason I'm not sure its also necessary to increase another of your three runs quite so quickly (maybe only once every two or three weeks?).

Secondly, the increased time on your feet can get a bit repetitive if every run is a steady one; it may be worth introducing something different into the short run of the week (speed, fartlek, intervals or hills perhaps) - variety can be key to motivation and the guided runs in the free NRC app are a great source of inspiration if you want to try something different.

Beyond 10k you may find you need to carry water/electrolytes and/or nutrition/carbs (it's very personal, but keep it in mind if you find yourself tiring more than you expect).

Although there are a few 10 mile training plans out there, you will find many more for half marathon distance - you can always follow one of those, but stop at 10 miles if you want to.

My last point ... consider a lower mileage cut-back week every three /four weeks because that will give your body chance to recover from the continued increase.

No, that was my next to last point: my last and most important point is ... enjoy the journey 😊

Sorry if that sounds a lot 😍.

We have pinned posts about how to train for a half marathon, and all the info in there is just as useful for ten miles.

I bet you'll soon be there. Do let us know how it goes and we'll keep that badge handy 😊

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles]

Would you recommend I look at the 14 week half marathon plan perhaps as it will have different types of runs

[nowster Metric Marathon]

Others have mentioned fuelling mid-run on longer runs. I find that it's more time than distance based, and my need for a snack is about the 90 minute mark, so I start having little things about every half hour starting at an hour in. (eg. jelly babies, cheap squishy fudge, caramel wafer bars)

Whilst I'd happily go out and do 10km (which would take me just over an hour) without eating, a longer run would benefit from something light and starchy like a couple of slices of toast about half an hour before.

You can build to a half marathon without a hugely structured plan, unlike a full marathon. It can be done just by extending your longest run of the week gradually (and giving yourself the occasional setback week to rest).

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to nowster]

Thanks that was very informative , I ran on Saturday and it was very warm and I didn’t really like the warmth to be honest. I’m going to take a flapjack with me when I go past 10km and start taking water also which I haven’t done or felt the need to as yet. I don’t like drinking anything prior to running due to the squishing about of the fluids .

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

Carrying water in your hand can affect your balance, so backpacks and belt pockets are helpful. We're now getting into the warmer weather.

Again, it's more about drinking enough throughout the day even when you're not running. I'll usually set out on a run having drunk a single glass of water (about 250ml). Enough not to slosh about.

Only in the hottest bit of summer would I consider bringing water with me for anything an hour or shorter. Time, not distance, is the important factor, as is the outside temperature.

I've done late summer two hour runs where I've drunk the full 2 litres I've had in my backpack, and I've done similar cold weather runs where I've hardly needed to drink anything.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to nowster]

Can I ask what you recommend to carry to eat I’ve heard about these gel things bit don’t know what to go for obviously it’s got to be something light!!

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

I find jelly babies are about the right consistency and have a nice mixture of sugars, starches and protein. Experiment to find out what works for you.

I find that gels can be a lot of faff.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Some great advice here. I’m not adding to it but just wanted to say hello and welcome 👋

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

Yes there is that’s for sure

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles]

just done my weekly long run and did 16.km , didn’t realise I was so close to 10 miles what a bummer only 100? metres short or so !!!. But at least I broke the 1 hour mark for the first 10km by a touch and go 30 seconds !!. There are some plus point i guess!. I ran a bit longer than the 16 to slow down to a walking pace wish I hadn’t pressed the darn button on the watch as soon as I reach 16 ah well!!

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

Tip: new posts are more visible than you continuing an existing one.

[Gentlydoesnt 10 Miles in reply to nowster]

Thanks for that