Run 10 Miles in 8 Weeks?
natyack
Posts: 56 Member
I signed up for a 10 mile race that happens on May 1st.
I've run several 5k's, but stopped working out over the holidays and just started training THIS week. I'm using a training plan that was sent to me by the organization that's a combination of running and cross-training.
I ran 2 miles on Monday and Wednesday in about 24 mins, and I thought I was going to die. I am shooting for 4 miles on Saturday morning, and next week, my runs get upped to 3 miles, and I should be running 6 miles by next Saturday.
I'm just wondering... am I totally in over my head here? Can I really do this? I find I always stick to my nutrition and exercise goals better when I have something to work towards, but I might be pushing it.
I'll welcome any and all honest opinions.
I've run several 5k's, but stopped working out over the holidays and just started training THIS week. I'm using a training plan that was sent to me by the organization that's a combination of running and cross-training.
I ran 2 miles on Monday and Wednesday in about 24 mins, and I thought I was going to die. I am shooting for 4 miles on Saturday morning, and next week, my runs get upped to 3 miles, and I should be running 6 miles by next Saturday.
I'm just wondering... am I totally in over my head here? Can I really do this? I find I always stick to my nutrition and exercise goals better when I have something to work towards, but I might be pushing it.
I'll welcome any and all honest opinions.
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Replies
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It's a pretty lofty goal.
Sounds like you're running too quickly if it feels like you're going to die0 -
That's a pretty big jump. If you are already feeling like you are going to die with two miles. It's not good to up it to 4 miles on Saturday. Take it slow.0
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A lofty goal, but I definitely will not be one to discourage others efforts. You could always walk part of the race if you can not run it all. There are programs like C25K (and I think a 10K) that you could look into.0
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How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.0 -
blues4miles wrote: »How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.
The training plan is relatively similar to what you suggest, but emphasizes more cross/strength training. it suggests Running Monday, Wednesday and a long run on Saturdays. Cross training on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I'll definitely add another day to my plan. I'm okay with walking a bit of it, I'm not out to hurt myself or win any medals... just want to prove to myself I can finish it. Thanks everyone.0 -
blues4miles wrote: »How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.
The training plan is relatively similar to what you suggest, but emphasizes more cross/strength training. I'll definitely add another day to my plan. I'm okay with walking a bit of it, I'm not out to hurt myself or win any medals... just want to prove to myself I can finish it. Thanks everyone.
I definitely think there are gains to be made by strength training and cross training, but the best for running is well running. You don't want to jump up your mileage to much, or you'll risk hurting yourself. I would focus on the running aspect for now. You need to build up that endurance.
I've trained for everything between a 5K and a 50K, with some focus I think that you can do it. Just listen to your body. Good Luck!0 -
Broad Street Run?0
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blues4miles wrote: »How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.
The training plan is relatively similar to what you suggest, but emphasizes more cross/strength training. I'll definitely add another day to my plan. I'm okay with walking a bit of it, I'm not out to hurt myself or win any medals... just want to prove to myself I can finish it. Thanks everyone.
I definitely think there are gains to be made by strength training and cross training, but the best for running is well running. You don't want to jump up your mileage to much, or you'll risk hurting yourself. I would focus on the running aspect for now. You need to build up that endurance.
I've trained for everything between a 5K and a 50K, with some focus I think that you can do it. Just listen to your body. Good Luck!
Thank you!!0 -
I'm doing the Broad Street Run too!! I've been following Hal Higdon's 15K plan (close to 10 miles) for novices.
It sounds similar to what you've been doing, but the mileage increases much more slowly. That may be a better fit for you if you're struggling with two miles. No matter what, though, don't push yourself too hard and get injured! Not sure if you've done the Broad Street before, but a ton of people run it. I think it's 10,000 actually. So I can pretty much guarantee that, even if you don't follow the training plans to a T, you definitely won't be the last person to cross the finish line
Best of luck to you!0 -
blues4miles wrote: »How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.
The training plan is relatively similar to what you suggest, but emphasizes more cross/strength training. it suggests Running Monday, Wednesday and a long run on Saturdays. Cross training on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I'll definitely add another day to my plan. I'm okay with walking a bit of it, I'm not out to hurt myself or win any medals... just want to prove to myself I can finish it. Thanks everyone.
Sounds good and I think you have a great attitude. A 4th day of running will help you a lot, like @jhall260 the common wisdom is only running prepares you for running. Crosstraining can be beneficial for sure though in its own way. Good luck and at the very least have fun! It's not always the destination but often the journey!
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I'm doing the Broad Street Run too!! I've been following Hal Higdon's 15K plan (close to 10 miles) for novices.
It sounds similar to what you've been doing, but the mileage increases much more slowly. That may be a better fit for you if you're struggling with two miles. No matter what, though, don't push yourself too hard and get injured! Not sure if you've done the Broad Street before, but a ton of people run it. I think it's 10,000 actually. So I can pretty much guarantee that, even if you don't follow the training plans to a T, you definitely won't be the last person to cross the finish line
Best of luck to you!
ah, this is GREAT! Thank you for sharing!! Hey, even if I am the last person, at least I won't be on my couch on a netflix binge! ;-)0 -
That training plan looks very familiar. Running with Team in Training???
BTW - I am running Broad Street as well.0 -
I did Broad St. about 2 years ago -- it's a great run but it was my first race and I was definitely not properly prepared -- in Nov. I did the Philly half and at 9 miles I had been running the entire time with no walking and still felt great and only mixed in walking due to some really big hills -- shows what better training can do -- maybe try slowing your pace a little so you don't get so tired on your runs -- you can always walk part of it.0
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blues4miles wrote: »blues4miles wrote: »How many times a week are you currently running? If you ran 5ks and stopped in December you at least aren't starting from zero...
It is pretty lofty...looks like you have about 9 weeks between now and then, but really only 7 since what you do up to week 7 will determine most of your capacity for the race. If you can run a 4 mile long run this week I think that is a good sign. But am concerned you are already upping mileage of your long run from 4 to 6 in your 2nd week back.
I'd try to run 4x a week, long runs of 4 this week then 5,6,7,7,8,9 up through week 7 with two of your runs being 3 or 4 miles each and the fourth run being somewhere in between 3 and your long run. But without seeing your training plan I can't comment if that's 'better' or not. If you are willing to be a little slow and possibly walk/jog the later parts of the 10 miles, and don't get injured between now and then, I think you can do it. You probably only need to get up to 8 mile long run in training to prep for 10, much like beginner half marathon training only has you going up to 10 or 11. It's possible if you can tolerate you won't improve your speed much between now and then and might really suffer towards the end depending on how your training goes. Adding in a 4th day (or 5th in a couple weeks) will probably benefit you substantially because then you can get more miles in over the week and your body gets used to training tired.
The training plan is relatively similar to what you suggest, but emphasizes more cross/strength training. it suggests Running Monday, Wednesday and a long run on Saturdays. Cross training on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I'll definitely add another day to my plan. I'm okay with walking a bit of it, I'm not out to hurt myself or win any medals... just want to prove to myself I can finish it. Thanks everyone.
Sounds good and I think you have a great attitude. A 4th day of running will help you a lot, like @jhall260 the common wisdom is only running prepares you for running. Crosstraining can be beneficial for sure though in its own way. Good luck and at the very least have fun! It's not always the destination but often the journey!
A bit late to this topic, but I'd echo the sentiments above. More days of running will help your running. Don't worry about speed, just get the miles in. If you use a heart rate monitor and are familiar with HR zone training, think about staying in zone 2. If that's a bit too geeky, just think of doing the long runs at a pace where you can remain "conversational". Said another way, you should be able to recite your name, address and phone number while running without gasping for breath.
I'm guessing that with your attitude, you'll nail it. Good luck.0 -
You will have a blast! This is my sixth year running it. I usually train up to completing an 8 mile run a week or so before the race - Hal Higdon's schedule is great. The course is pretty flat and downhill in the last bit (just when you need it).0
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Mr Higdon always states get "to the starting line"0
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Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the encouragement. I wound up doing 2.25 miles on Saturday and probably could have gone a little longer but didn't want to push it. I started thinking about all kinds of overuse injuries I could sustain if I try to go too hard. I'm upping it to 3 miles per run this week and Saturday will be 4 miles. Thanks again!! So glad I asked for advice.0
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I did Broad St. about 2 years ago -- it's a great run but it was my first race and I was definitely not properly prepared -- in Nov. I did the Philly half and at 9 miles I had been running the entire time with no walking and still felt great and only mixed in walking due to some really big hills -- shows what better training can do -- maybe try slowing your pace a little so you don't get so tired on your runs -- you can always walk part of it.
This is super encouraging, thanks for sharing!0 -
A bit late to this topic, but I'd echo the sentiments above. More days of running will help your running. Don't worry about speed, just get the miles in. If you use a heart rate monitor and are familiar with HR zone training, think about staying in zone 2. If that's a bit too geeky, just think of doing the long runs at a pace where you can remain "conversational". Said another way, you should be able to recite your name, address and phone number while running without gasping for breath.
I'm guessing that with your attitude, you'll nail it. Good luck.
Thank you. I love my FitBit Charge HR, thanks for the advice
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That training plan looks very familiar. Running with Team in Training???
BTW - I am running Broad Street as well.
I signed up initially with Determinators but wound up getting picked in the lottery. however they emailed me the training plan so I've been referring to it! See you there with the other 10,000 runners! haha0
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