10K Run Event

Machka9
Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
edited January 2018 in Fitness and Exercise
I am a long distance cyclist + walker/hiker who started running for some cross training at the beginning of December.

Since then I've done a bunch of 3-5 km runs, one 6 km run, and one 7 km run, and I can do all of that fairly comfortably, although slowly.

I signed up for a 10K which is on January 14th. The cap on the event is 500 people.

Just prior to my 7 km run, I went to a running shop in town and went through the whole fitting, footfall, gait check and everything ... and I got a new pair of shoes which make my feet so much happier than my previous pair.

I've also collected some of the stuff ... clothing, little waist belt so I can carry my phone, etc.

This running shop usually has Wednesday evening runs and I was hoping to run with them (now that I'm up to the distance they go), but they are taking a little Christmas/Summer break at the moment. I was hoping to ask them questions and get more of a sense of what a 10K event might be like.


So ... since I can't ask them, I'll ask you ...

If you've done a 10K (or other running event involving a lot of people), what tips might you give someone who is new to that sort of thing?


How do you handle the crowd of people running with you? Like so that you're not bumping or kicking anyone, or being bumped or kicked.

Where do you position yourself in the crowd? My inclination is to go right to the back and plod along at my relatively slow trot.

Do you eat on a 10K? Or is it too short?

They have drink stations along the route ... do you stop and get something to drink at each one? Or do they hand you drinks as you jog past?

Do you warm up before the run? Or warm up on the run?

Chances are it could be quite hot ... how do you handle the heat when you run? Or is 10K really too short to worry about that sort of thing?

Edit: :lol: I just checked the long range forecast, and they're actually predicting a high of 19 with 23 mm of rain that day ... so maybe I need to know more tips on running in a crowd in rain rather than running in a crowd in heat!!


Anything else?

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Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,734 Member
    You may have crowds for the first mile or so, but after that people spread out. If you know you are slow, it is better to go in the back than to block the faster runners. And as Bendyourknee stated, it is a lot more fun to pass than to be passed by other runners. It is good to do a 3-5k warmup before a 5-10k race, but if you are not used to doing more than 10k, you might just do some walking and dynamic stretches. Start the first mile a bit slow so your body warms up as you run.

    There is no need to fuel during a 10k. Any race under two hours you don't need Gels, etc. Take water/Gatorade as needed. Most of the races I've run had water every two miles or so, which worked out well. The volunteers will usually yell out whether they are holding out water or Gatorade. If you get hot, take two waters and drink one, pour the other on your head. Slow down and walk through the water stations, but make sure you aren't going to get in the way of anyone coming up behind you.

    If it's raining at the start of the race, wear a trashbag over your clothes so you stay warm while waiting for the gun. When you start running, you can tear it off when you start getting too warm. Make sure to wear a cap with a visor so the rain isn't in your eyes.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Thanks for the advice! :) That does help.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    This may not be as important if they've capped the event at 500 people, but the best race advice I've ever gotten is to use the restroom when you get there. Then, if the lines are long, immediately get back in line and go again.

    It sounds like I'm joking, but I'm 100% serious -- BEST. ADVICE. EVER. The one time I didn't do that, I ended up having to jump out of line when we were already lining up in the corral, run to find (and use) a (super nasty) park bathroom, then wait until the race was over to wash my hands with soap.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    They've capped the 10K at 500 people.

    But the rest of the event caps are:

    Marathon – 450
    Half Marathon – 900
    5km – 500
    Mini Marathon (1K for the kids) – 400

    So all up, there could be 2750 participants there.

    The start times do vary, so that might help ... the Marathon and Half Marathon go at 6 am and 6:30 am, the 5K goes at 8:45 am, my 10K goes at 9:45 am, and the kid's one goes at 10 am.


    I'm trying to decide when to arrive there. They sort of suggest 30 minutes in advance, but I'm thinking maybe an hour would be good.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,734 Member
    I would get there at least an hour early since your group is the last to take off. Do you know how the parking is? I know one race that had people abandoning cars on the highway because the parking area filled and traffic was at a dead stop. A race I did last spring had construction going on at the start area and we had to park about 8 blocks away. And as stated above, you'll want to go to the bathroom at least once.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I race the Shamrock every year and we’re talking 10,000 runners for the 8k alone. They assign you a corral based on expected finish time, but people lie which is annoying. I run into walkers before I’ve even gone a half mile.

    I stay to the edge so it’s easier to get around people.
    I also try to focus on a person in front of me and reel them in. Once I’ve passed them I pick another person. It focuses me and makes me a little bit faster.

    If it’s going to be hot, I’d probably need water towards the end of the race, but do what’s comfortable for you and what you’ve trained doing.



  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    I would get there at least an hour early since your group is the last to take off. Do you know how the parking is? I know one race that had people abandoning cars on the highway because the parking area filled and traffic was at a dead stop. A race I did last spring had construction going on at the start area and we had to park about 8 blocks away. And as stated above, you'll want to go to the bathroom at least once.

    The recommendation is that we take a shuttle bus from a downtown hotel. So my plan is to take a taxi to that hotel, and then the shuttle bus there. I have the shuttle bus schedule so I just need to plan accordingly.


    zdyb23456 wrote: »
    I race the Shamrock every year and we’re talking 10,000 runners for the 8k alone. They assign you a corral based on expected finish time, but people lie which is annoying. I run into walkers before I’ve even gone a half mile.

    I stay to the edge so it’s easier to get around people.
    I also try to focus on a person in front of me and reel them in. Once I’ve passed them I pick another person. It focuses me and makes me a little bit faster.

    If it’s going to be hot, I’d probably need water towards the end of the race, but do what’s comfortable for you and what you’ve trained doing.

    All 500 of us will be set off at once, and I'm figuring I'm going to be the one people reel in! :grin:

    My longest distance so far is 8.6 km (last evening) with no water and nothing to eat. I had my last drink and last bit to eat about an hour before the run and then I ate and drank after.

    They've actually got 4 water stations on the 10K route, but unless it is really hot or I'm really struggling for some reason, I'm thinking I might only use one.
  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,153 Member
    My advice is don't go out too fast. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the start. Try to run the pace you trained with, or slower. Do you have a GPS watch? Other than that - have fun!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Philtex wrote: »
    My advice is don't go out too fast. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the start. Try to run the pace you trained with, or slower. Do you have a GPS watch? Other than that - have fun!

    No ... I've just got my phone which I keep in a small waist belt.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    Rather like with fuelling, I think 10km is a distance most people wouldn't have to worry about chafing. It wasn't until I started doing marathons that I discovered my previously beloved sports bra would leave holes all round my rib cage and up my cleavage, and the horror of a badly placed gel packet in my pocket.
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    Chafing of the chest tends to be a male thing due to most women wearing sports bras when running which minimizes the rubbing that causes chafing.

    Dont do anything out of the ordinary foodwise- I see you ran 8.6km without food or water if its hot you may want to use one or two water stations at least but dont try vary your normal food before a run routine or try a new food. I can run 10km without water but during a hot race I'll utilize the a water stations but dont over do the water either as it can cause a stitch.

    One thing you havent mentioned is music, my first long race I read the race rules so didnt take music as specified only to find out everyone else ignored the rule. I preferred running with music so it was really off putting that I unnecessarily went without it (and boring, I also use music to help with pace/motivation- slower song for slow job and faster one every now and then to speed me up, just keep running till the end of the song and then you can walk that type of thing).

    Make sure you have used anything you plan to take on the day, new tights might seem like a good idea until you discover they slip down when running, headphones keep falling out of ear that type of thing.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    Chafing of the chest tends to be a male thing due to most women wearing sports bras when running which minimizes the rubbing that causes chafing.

    Dont do anything out of the ordinary foodwise- I see you ran 8.6km without food or water if its hot you may want to use one or two water stations at least but dont try vary your normal food before a run routine or try a new food. I can run 10km without water but during a hot race I'll utilize the a water stations but dont over do the water either as it can cause a stitch.

    One thing you havent mentioned is music, my first long race I read the race rules so didnt take music as specified only to find out everyone else ignored the rule. I preferred running with music so it was really off putting that I unnecessarily went without it (and boring, I also use music to help with pace/motivation- slower song for slow job and faster one every now and then to speed me up, just keep running till the end of the song and then you can walk that type of thing).

    Make sure you have used anything you plan to take on the day, new tights might seem like a good idea until you discover they slip down when running, headphones keep falling out of ear that type of thing.

    Unfortunately I can't run with music ... it makes me dizzy.

    And they say not to anyway.

    Fortunately I'm happy without it. :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    Rather like with fuelling, I think 10km is a distance most people wouldn't have to worry about chafing. It wasn't until I started doing marathons that I discovered my previously beloved sports bra would leave holes all round my rib cage and up my cleavage, and the horror of a badly placed gel packet in my pocket.

    Have to say my worst ever chafing was on an 8K recovery run.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    edited January 2018
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    Make sure you have used anything you plan to take on the day, new tights might seem like a good idea until you discover they slip down when running, headphones keep falling out of ear that type of thing.

    Regarding the tights and shorts, I got several of them recently and have been working my way through them on shorter runs to try them out. I'm thinking about going with the pair that seems to be the most comfortable of the lot. :)

    I am, however, still working on tops.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    That's what I said after running 7k. 10 was a rude and painful surprise.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Chafing of the chest isn't a thing on bikes but is or can be when running.

    Based on my experience so far, that's not been a worry at all.

    Chafing of the chest tends to be a male thing due to most women wearing sports bras when running which minimizes the rubbing that causes chafing.

    I found that a lot of it went away or went down when I switched from cotton to performance gear.

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    I signed up for a 10K which is on January 14th. The cap on the event is 500 people.

    ...

    If you've done a 10K (or other running event involving a lot of people), what tips might you give someone who is new to that sort of thing?


    How do you handle the crowd of people running with you? Like so that you're not bumping or kicking anyone, or being bumped or kicked.

    Where do you position yourself in the crowd? My inclination is to go right to the back and plod along at my relatively slow trot.

    In practice 500 people on a 10K is a fairly short field, the amount of congestion that you'll feel really depends on how wide the route is. You'll probably find that it opens up reasonably easily, but the main thing for me is being aware of my own pace length and not getting too close to whoever is in front of me. There isn't much value in dodging around people in the early period, you'll just end up frustrated and it'll accelerate fatigue. The main thing is to look over your shoulder before moving sideways.
    Do you eat on a 10K? Or is it too short?

    Personally I wouldn't. You're not running long enough to get much benefit from it.
    They have drink stations along the route ... do you stop and get something to drink at each one? Or do they hand you drinks as you jog past?

    Personally I slow down and walk through water stations, and you may find a combination of marshals handing out and some at the tables.

    At the races I do people tend to be fairly disciplined about putting the waste in bins, but at road races it's more common to just ditch it and let someone else clear up.

    I have a hand-held, but probably wouldn't use it for a short race like that.
    Do you warm up before the run? Or warm up on the run?

    Up to you. I'd generally just warm up on the race, but if you want to warm up then do so.

    I'd echo the advice about the toilets, personally I carry some toilet wipes and hand wipes in my flip belt, so that I'm not dependent on what's left when I get to the portaloos.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Another question about training ... I did an 8.6 km run on Wednesday. I'm thinking about doing a 9.2 km this coming Sunday. Then the 10K is the following Sunday. Plus short runs.

    Would there be any benefit at all to doing a 10 km this Sunday, one week before the event ... or would it be more beneficial to just stick to my plan and do my first 10K as the event?
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »

    How do you handle the crowd of people running with you? Like so that you're not bumping or kicking anyone, or being bumped or kicked.



    People tend to naturally spread out. Just keep an eye out and check over your shoulder before moving right or left.

    Just want to add that you should take similar care if you decide to slow down or start walking. Make sure no one is right behind you.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I've run quite a few races from the 5k to half marathon distance.

    Crowds, as others have said, tend to spread out early in the race. At the very beginning, you may have to slow down, maneuver around slower folks, or get out of the way of faster folks. But this tends to resolve itself in the first quarter to half mile or so, depending on the course.

    I usually start in the middle. I know my running pace is mediocre. However, it honestly winds up not mattering that much because a lot of folks either do not try to start in a reasonable place for them, or have little to no control over where they start. You will have people who sprint out from the back of the pack, and you will have walkers who start in front.

    I don't eat during a 10K, but I know some people do. It's personal preference. If you're not fast and you're going to be running for a while, then you might like a snack.

    There will probably be volunteers handing you drink cups. I think it's polite to slow down and try to avoid splashing it all over them. If you want to slow down or walk through an aid station, move out of the way--some folks will prefer to skip it and keep running.

    My "warmup" is usually walking to the starting line. I might do a few dynamic stretches, but mostly I just try to keep moving before the race.

    Get moisture wicking socks to help prevent blisters in the rain. I have a pair of Smartwool socks that I've worn for a rainy half marathon and they did well. Some people like Drymax as well, but I haven't personally tried those. A baseball style hat is nice for keeping some rain out of your eyes. A ziplock bag works well for keeping your phone dry--mine fits perfectly in the "portion control" snack bags from Target, and you can still use the touchscreen through the plastic. Body Glide is great if chafing is a concern.

    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Thanks for the tips and ...
    apullum wrote: »
    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.

    I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday.

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips and ...
    apullum wrote: »
    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.

    I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday.

    fwiw before my first 10K I was consistently doing 16K as my long run. The idea of not doing the distance only really kicks in at about 20 miles, where recovery from the long becomes disruptive to the rest of the plan.

    Personally I'd be pushing for 11K on Sunday, then a couple of 5Ks Tuesday and Thursday.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips and ...
    apullum wrote: »
    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.

    I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday.

    fwiw before my first 10K I was consistently doing 16K as my long run. The idea of not doing the distance only really kicks in at about 20 miles, where recovery from the long becomes disruptive to the rest of the plan.

    Personally I'd be pushing for 11K on Sunday, then a couple of 5Ks Tuesday and Thursday.

    I only just started running at the beginning of December. I'm finding that longer runs (for me) like the 7 km I did on Dec 29th and the 8.6 km I did last Wednesday (3rd) are still taking quite a bit out of me, and leaving my legs feeling "dead" the next day.

    However, only just last weekend I did a 3 km run, finished it and, for the first time, thought "Is that all?" so I'm pleased that 3 km is starting to feel more natural to me now. But even 5 km still feels like a bit of a workout.


    That said, on the days I'm not running, and sometimes also on the days I do run, I'm cycling (my favourite!) or going for brisk walks.

    So when I say, "I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday."

    The rest of the story is ...

    I'm thinking of walking about 2-3 km and then doing a 2 km run today, Saturday will be a cycling day with something in the 50 km range in mind, Sunday I'll do the 9.2 km run and maybe a short 20 km cycle, Monday will be 5-6 km of brisk walking as a rest day, Tuesday walking + the 3 km run ... etc. :)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    There is something to be said for proving to yourself that you can run the full distance before doing it on race day. I've done that for every new distance I've ever raced, including the half, and in hindsight I think it benefitted me psychologically but not necessarily physically. So I guess I'm recommending that you don't have to do as I did :)

    If you currently need a day of recovery time from an 8K, then you might need more time to recover from 9.2. That might make it hard to run on Tuesday. Honestly, your fitness has been built over the weeks and months you've been training, so whatever distance you run on Sunday is not going to significantly increase your fitness level. At this point, it comes down to whatever will make you feel ready for race day. You know your body and how you feel after each run.

    I would say, though, that I would get in a little gentle exercise the day before the race, like a short, easy run. My muscles all tighten up if I haven't run in a few days, and that's not how I'd like to go into a race.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    I eat a light breakfast about two hours before a race. I wear a baseball cap to help keep my hair out of my face, and shield my eyes from sun or rain. I have an incredibly lightweight breathable rain jacket I can tie around my waist if I get too warm in the rain. Most times though I skip the rain coat and get wet, but never wear a cotton shirt because it gets too heavy and holds in heat. I always pee before the race. I never run the day before a race. I position myself about three fourths of the way behind the starting line. I start slow because I’m using that first half mile as my warm up. I’ll usually pass the first water station but take a bit at the second.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips and ...
    apullum wrote: »
    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.

    I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday.

    fwiw before my first 10K I was consistently doing 16K as my long run. The idea of not doing the distance only really kicks in at about 20 miles, where recovery from the long becomes disruptive to the rest of the plan.

    Personally I'd be pushing for 11K on Sunday, then a couple of 5Ks Tuesday and Thursday.

    I only just started running at the beginning of December. I'm finding that longer runs (for me) like the 7 km I did on Dec 29th and the 8.6 km I did last Wednesday (3rd) are still taking quite a bit out of me, and leaving my legs feeling "dead" the next day.

    However, only just last weekend I did a 3 km run, finished it and, for the first time, thought "Is that all?" so I'm pleased that 3 km is starting to feel more natural to me now. But even 5 km still feels like a bit of a workout.

    That's all pretty reasonable, despite your existing level of cycling fitness going from no running to 10K in six weeks is pretty aggressive. for short distances I'm an advocate of knowing you can do it in advance, but if you're still finding recovery challenging then perhaps no more than 10K on Sunday is reasonable. I also recognise that I'm looking at mileage from a pretty unusual perspective, very few people run repeated, and particularly subsequent day, marathons.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,503 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips and ...
    apullum wrote: »
    For your first 10K, I would not run the same distance a week before the race. You can probably do that with no problem when you get more comfortable with the distance, but for now I would recommend decreasing your mileage a little the week before the race--your training plan may already have you doing this. It helps your body rest a little before the race, while still staying active.

    I'm thinking of doing a light 2 km today (Friday), the 9.2 on Sunday, then a couple 2-3 km runs during the week next week on Tuesday and Thursday ... and then resting from running on Friday and Saturday.

    fwiw before my first 10K I was consistently doing 16K as my long run. The idea of not doing the distance only really kicks in at about 20 miles, where recovery from the long becomes disruptive to the rest of the plan.

    Personally I'd be pushing for 11K on Sunday, then a couple of 5Ks Tuesday and Thursday.

    I only just started running at the beginning of December. I'm finding that longer runs (for me) like the 7 km I did on Dec 29th and the 8.6 km I did last Wednesday (3rd) are still taking quite a bit out of me, and leaving my legs feeling "dead" the next day.

    However, only just last weekend I did a 3 km run, finished it and, for the first time, thought "Is that all?" so I'm pleased that 3 km is starting to feel more natural to me now. But even 5 km still feels like a bit of a workout.

    That's all pretty reasonable, despite your existing level of cycling fitness going from no running to 10K in six weeks is pretty aggressive. for short distances I'm an advocate of knowing you can do it in advance, but if you're still finding recovery challenging then perhaps no more than 10K on Sunday is reasonable. I also recognise that I'm looking at mileage from a pretty unusual perspective, very few people run repeated, and particularly subsequent day, marathons.

    The way I'm looking at this 10K is this ...

    I can easily hike 10-15 km, and do that periodically throughout the year. I walked 1300 km in 2017, mostly over 5 days a week, although occasionally with a long hike on the weekend.

    The 10K has a 2 hour time limit and I could walk it in that time limit! I often go for 5-6 km walks within my hour at lunch.

    I can run 5 km without too much difficulty, 8 with a little bit more difficulty ...


    But I figure I'll run as long as I can, with perhaps a few brief moments of walking (like if I need something to drink), and if I get to 8 km or so and I'm struggling a little, I can walk for a bit longer then maybe run the last 500 metres. :)

    I'm not going to break any time records, but as things stand, there should be no reason I can't cover the distance. And if I happen to run the whole way ... great!! :)


    However, another question ... if I were to keep up the running, does it actually get easier?