Need advice on upping to a 10k

sgmomma

I can run 4.5 miles i've done it a handful of times. Been running 5k since, late april. I'm a slow runner, but I can run for an hour. All the bridge to 10k plans I find don't look like they would work for me. I cannot figure out how to adapt one for me. Any ideas?

sgmomma

I've been trying based on time allowances to run atleast 10 miles a week..

LoraF83

This is just my opinion, but if you can run 4.5, you can probably run 6.2.

Why not just add .25 miles every week till you get there? Maybe do 2 short runs and one long run every week?

sgmomma

That's kinda what I've been thinking...

Guess I just needed someone else to say it.

bcampbell54

Just curious why you think the Bridge to 10k programs won't work for you?

sammys1girly

I'm currently finishing week 3 of the couch to 10K app on my iphone. I have run some 5k's but the 10k seems like so much more that I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish all 13 wks of the training program. (My 41yr old knees make it alot harder )
If you can already run over 4 miles, I think just adding a quarter or half mile every coupe of weeks should be attainable.

coreymo

In my experience, you only need to do 1 long run per week. The rest of your workouts can be 30-45 minutes and then gradually increase your one longest distance each week. The longer the distance, the slower you should start out running to save energy for the increase at the end. The first time I finished a 10k, I walked the first 5k then ran the second. Also, it helps me to do intervals, for example, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes for long distances. The bottom line is you have to change your mind set and just keep putting one foot in front of the other...much of it is psychological, believe in yourself and you will do it. Best wishes to you!

dsjohndrow

The programs are good. But there are some of us that need to do something different. A lot of beginners just try to increase their distance by basically doing the same thing for longer. That might work for a 5K, but it's tough for a 10K or longer.

Here is what I suggest. Train 4 days a weeks.
- Day 1: just run for the hour. I am assuming that you'd like to do a 10k in 1 hour or there abouts.
- Day 2: Take your best mile time (these are called splits) say 5.5 miles per hour and run them. Take a minute break after it and run another two. This is the day to push yourself hard. You'll do 3/1 miles plus a warm up and a cool down. 30-40 minutes or so.
- Day 3: Take your slowest mile time and run 5 of those with a 2 minute break or as many as you can run in an hour or whatever time you have.
- Day 4: Run for 70 minutes at whatever pace you feel comfortable at. If you need to take a 2 minute break at the end of 60 minutes, do it, but add the 10.

I like to use miles and 10 minute blocks to train by. You can add a mile or a block when you are ready.

You always want to have one day a week where you push yourself. 2 days where you just run at your pace, and one where you add some distance.

Good luck.

pkfrankel

If you want to increase your distance you have to run longer. Try reducing you runs during the week to 2 - 2.5 miles for each outing. Designate one day as a "long" day where you will gradually run longer. I would suggest at least 0.5 mile increases (shouldn't add more than 8 minutes each week if you are 16 min. per mile slow).

Within a few weeks you will easily be running 6.2 miles and more.

sgmomma

dsjohndrow...thanks for the advice.. that all sounds wonderful.

pkfrankel - I run about a 13:00 min mile when i'm "training" When I run a race I average about 11:30 mm

rward007

I've been making the jump from 5k to 10k and I run 3-4 days a week (additionally I do strength training followed by 30 minutes of cardio 2-3 days a week).

I do as a pace day. I run at my goal race pace for as long as I can (so far I have not made it to 6.2).

I also do a speed day. I aim to do a 5k as fast as I can.

Then I do a long run day, where I try to run for an hour (maybe a little more) and see how far I go.

Typically all of this is on a treadmill because it has been 95+ degrees everyday. I do like to try and work in an outdoor run day. I usually just try to run at my target pace when I do these.

This works pretty well for me. Pretty similar dsjohndrow suggestion in my opinion.

iluvprettyshoes

running different speeds and running intervals helped me. So let's say you usually run a 12 min mile and run 3 miles. Try running a 10 min mile and run for 1 mile. Then walk for a minute and do it again till you get 3 miles.

Doing that helped me build up my endurance quickly.