Runners, I need help!

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bongochick45
bongochick45 Posts: 130 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey Team!

So I just started running in May and I love it! I finished the c25k program and am now smack dab in the middle of the Hal Higdon 10k training:novice program. My first 10k is at the end of September.

There is a race in November (The Hot Chocolate Run) that's a 15k. Should I sign up for it?

Here's the thing:

1) I'm still a slow runner. Hal suggests that when running you should go at a conversational pace. For me that's a 14-15min/mi pace. Which is stupid slow as I understand it. So I don't know if I should start focusing on speed after my 10k or should I keep increasing distance.
2) I like distance running. It's very theraputic and I love the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. But I hate that I run so slow because it takes so much time.
3)I don't want to sign up for a race that I don't think I can finish. The 15k is the first weekned in November so that would only give me a month to work up from a 10k to a 15k.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
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    As long as you are okay with slowing down or even walking some if you need to, go ahead and sign up for the 15K. In reality, it's only 3.1 miles longer than you will have already done. If you take it easy and don't worry about time, I'm sure you can finish it.
  • bfinup
    bfinup Posts: 47
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    Speed will come with adding in more distance. With that said, feel free to run a little faster than what he recommends sometime if you feel like you can. Some days I run faster, some days I run slower... It won't hurt to push yourself once in awhile.

    Now as far as signing up its only an extra 3.1 miles. You could add a mile per week to your "long runs" in October and hit that distance and still taper before the 15k. But only you can decide if you can do it.

    Plus you'd get a really cool jacket
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    You could totally do it.

    And as another said, speed comes with distance. There are sharpening things you can do (intervals, tempo runs, hill repeats), but the big gains in speed come from upping your mileage.
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
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    Hey Team!

    So I just started running in May and I love it! I finished the c25k program and am now smack dab in the middle of the Hal Higdon 10k training:novice program. My first 10k is at the end of September.

    There is a race in November (The Hot Chocolate Run) that's a 15k. Should I sign up for it?

    Here's the thing:

    1) I'm still a slow runner. Hal suggests that when running you should go at a conversational pace. For me that's a 14-15min/mi pace. Which is stupid slow as I understand it. So I don't know if I should start focusing on speed after my 10k or should I keep increasing distance.
    2) I like distance running. It's very theraputic and I love the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. But I hate that I run so slow because it takes so much time.
    3)I don't want to sign up for a race that I don't think I can finish. The 15k is the first weekned in November so that would only give me a month to work up from a 10k to a 15k.

    Thoughts?

    A friend of mine once said 'If you can run four miles, any other distance after that is purely mental'. While not entirely true (nutrition plays a factor for longer distances) it is very true when talking about your body's cardio system. If you can do 10k then another 5k really isn't that much in the scheme of things.
  • Otrogen
    Otrogen Posts: 65
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    Welcome to the turtle club girl! I'm the same way as you. My typical mile is about 15 minutes. I, too, love the feeling of being a runner and being able to run for that far/long. It is very therapeutic. I'll fourth what's been said -- you could totally do it as long as you made sure you took it at an easy pace :3. So much of running is mental. I think you've got it in you.

    Keep going at the right pace (Hal is definitely correct about that conversational pace for training!) and upping your mileage and go get it :).

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