My first 10k - help!

lornathewizzard
lornathewizzard Posts: 165 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone. So I plan to sign up for my first 10k which takes place on the 8th of May (subject to me getting the day off work because it is on a Wednesday evening).

I'm a reasonably newbie runner, completed couch to 5k in September and doing my best 5k in 31.50 (hoorah!). However, since then, I've not been out nearly us much, dark nights banishing me in to the house, so my endurance has fallen right down. I plan to take 3 or 4 weeks trying to get myself back up to where I was and then I have downloaded a 5k-10k app (by Active.com). Its a 9 week program, and progresses through steady runs, jogs mixed with 'tempo' runs, and alternates of 'fast' runs and jogs.

My question is this - I don't really understand the terminology. I run outside so I normally just run, its not really at any sort of deliberate pace. I use the runtastic app so I know what I'm hitting once I've done it, but I don't really aim for a certain pace.
Whats the difference between a tempo and fast run? And what's the best way to regulate myself? Any other general help would be much appreciated. :)

Replies

  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
    I run pretty much a 10k everyday, and hit it in 40:40 this week, what worked for me is continually pushing in little bits, not trying too much at a time, so if you record a time, try to beat ONE of the miles you did, doing it that way makes the whole thing a bit less daunting, hope this helps
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    As a beginner you would be fine just increasing your mileage without doing speed workouts.
    As for the terms - I have no idea what a "fast run" would be considered. Most programs I have seen break down their terms. My current program has slower runs, and a "pace" run which is running at the pace I want to do the race in.

    As for a tempo run - it is a "comfortably hard" run. It should be maintainable but just barely, definitely pushing yourself. And it's usually 3-5 miles, with 1-2 mile warmup and cool down. There is a way to figure out what exactly your pace should be if you google "tempo run".

    I don't know what the difference would be between the two.
  • lornathewizzard
    lornathewizzard Posts: 165 Member
    hey, thanks, just reading an article on tempo runs on runners world.
    The fast runs are only ever in 1 or 2 minute intervals, so I guess it means proper giving it everything! Sounds daunting. :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Here is a calculator to give an idea
    http://www.bane.info/
  • mruntidy
    mruntidy Posts: 1,015 Member
    Im doing regular ten km runs too now going from 58 to 46 minutes with training, my personal experience, look after your IT band and stretch/foam roller after runs if you can as well. If you're training for it do you know what time you are aiming for?
  • lornathewizzard
    lornathewizzard Posts: 165 Member
    Im doing regular ten km runs too now going from 58 to 46 minutes with training, my personal experience, look after your IT band and stretch/foam roller after runs if you can as well. If you're training for it do you know what time you are aiming for?

    I guess around 6.30 a km based on my 5k, so around 1hr 5. I really just want to be able to do it at the moment!

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