Running a test 10k tomorrow morning

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SilMarillion
SilMarillion Posts: 71
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

Okay, on April 16th, I decided I needed to do something about my health and to start feeling better about myself. I'm not overweight, in fact I am within the "healthy" range for my height and age .. 43yr, 5"10" and 170lbs (175lbs on April 16th)... My goal is to reduce my weight down to 168lbs or so, reduce my body fat to <17% and to complete a half marathon in mid July....

So, on April 16th I started to run... I won't bore everyone with my training schedule up to this point .. but tomorrow I intend to run my first 10k ... no, its not an organized race or anything .. I will be running around my neighborhood... but it will be the firs time that I have attempted that distance. My goal is to complete the distance in 80 minutes... or less... I can currently run a 5k in 26 minutes... but I am pretty sure I won't be able to keep up that pace....

How here has completed a 10k, and can offer any advise...?

SilMarillion.

Replies

  • pkfrankel
    pkfrankel Posts: 171 Member
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    I have three suggestions:

    Make sure you eat something before you start. I usually eat toast with peanut butter and a banana. Make sure it is something you know will not cause an upset stomach during the run.

    Bring water. If you don't like to carry water when you run. Drive your route ahead of time and drop a water bottle at two mile mark (if running an out and back). Drop two bottles at two and four miles if running a loop. You can pick them up afterward.

    Run negative splits. Than means run slower the first half of the run than the second. If you want to average 9:00 pace then try to run 9:15 or 9:20 the first half and 8:40 or 8:45 the second half. Based on your 5K time you are already below 9:00 pace.

    Good luck in you run tomorrow. Don't be discouraged if you do not meet your goal. Remember you are still a newbie.
  • SilMarillion
    SilMarillion Posts: 71
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    Thanks for the advise... I don't think I will come close to running 8:40 or 8:45 on the second half... more like the mid-9's.... but I will try it, and see how my legs react to running slower in the begging. I have a few weeks to build up to half-marathon, so I can still try different methods.

    Totally agree with the water drops ... and as its a loop, with each loop being 2 miles, I can easily get my water breaks.... would you recommend to keeping it to just water, or would a sports drink work better ? I am running in S. Florida, and even though I plan on running at around 8am, it will be around 80f and getting humid... ;-)

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