10km newbie

yop

Folks
Looking at doing my first dedicated road race tomorrow (Hollymount, Co Mayo).
All I have done before would be adventure races (Gaelforce, Achill Roar) so I haven't much measuring.
Been out doing 5km runs mainly over the last few months, done a few 8km's and 10kms on my own but this race thingy is all new to me.

I am involved in soccer so can't dedicate all my training to running but last nite I did a 5km in 25 minutes. I was goin "at it" but what I am wondering is how should I handle tomorrow?

Any guys I know doing it are sub 40 mins so I can't do that so I have to be beware of been burnt out by them.

Should I try and aim for 5mins a km or will it be difficult to push the first 1km with the bunch in front?

The route is 3 laps of the roads about the village so chances are I am going to be lapped so that will be embarrassing but whats the best approach?

Also warm up wise, what do you suggest, especially as tomorrow will be cold and wet.
I am aiming for a small bowl of pasta about 3 hours before. Wud that do?

Thanks very much, hope I don't sound like a total pleb

willowthewisp

yop wrote: »

Folks
Looking at doing my first dedicated road race tomorrow (Hollymount, Co Mayo).
All I have done before would be adventure races (Gaelforce, Achill Roar) so I haven't much measuring.
Been out doing 5km runs mainly over the last few months, done a few 8km's and 10kms on my own but this race thingy is all new to me.

I am involved in soccer so can't dedicate all my training to running but last nite I did a 5km in 25 minutes. I was goin "at it" but what I am wondering is how should I handle tomorrow?

Any guys I know doing it are sub 40 mins so I can't do that so I have to be beware of been burnt out by them.

Should I try and aim for 5mins a km or will it be difficult to push the first 1km with the bunch in front?

The route is 3 laps of the roads about the village so chances are I am going to be lapped so that will be embarrassing but whats the best approach?

Also warm up wise, what do you suggest, especially as tomorrow will be cold and wet.
I am aiming for a small bowl of pasta about 3 hours before. Wud that do?

Thanks very much, hope I don't sound like a total pleb

Im not great advice, but based on what you're sayin id go for the 5min km.
Not sure about the pasta , depends on what time the run is at.
If its later in the day then maybe, if its early try brown bread, banana etc.
Again , others on here would have better advice.

yop

Sorry the run starts at 2pm.

Thanks for your advice.

robinph

As it's three laps round that will help you with the pacing as you'll have a better idea of exactly how much more you can push for the remaining distance. Take it handy enough on the first lap and then you can try speeding things up a bit and chasing people down.

b12mearse

yop wrote: »

Folks
Looking at doing my first dedicated road race tomorrow (Hollymount, Co Mayo).
All I have done before would be adventure races (Gaelforce, Achill Roar) so I haven't much measuring.
Been out doing 5km runs mainly over the last few months, done a few 8km's and 10kms on my own but this race thingy is all new to me.

I am involved in soccer so can't dedicate all my training to running but last nite I did a 5km in 25 minutes. I was goin "at it" but what I am wondering is how should I handle tomorrow?

Any guys I know doing it are sub 40 mins so I can't do that so I have to be beware of been burnt out by them.

Should I try and aim for 5mins a km or will it be difficult to push the first 1km with the bunch in front?

The route is 3 laps of the roads about the village so chances are I am going to be lapped so that will be embarrassing but whats the best approach?

Also warm up wise, what do you suggest, especially as tomorrow will be cold and wet.
I am aiming for a small bowl of pasta about 3 hours before. Wud that do?

Thanks very much, hope I don't sound like a total pleb

i normally down a couple of cans of guinness the night b4 a race. works like a charm.
the alcohol helps me sleep and the high calories content helps me during the race!

Git101

yop wrote: »

Folks
Looking at doing my first dedicated road race tomorrow (Hollymount, Co Mayo).

As this is your first race go and enjoy yourself, you'll only have one first . By about 3pm Sunday you'll have a PB.

Arrive in plenty of time to do a good warmup, I usually do a few miles at a gentle pace and maybe a few strides.

It's very easy to get caught up in the excitement when the start gun goes and it seems like everybody is running faster than you. Keep your pace steady (you'll know what pace that is from your training) and you'll see a lot of those faster starters again as you pass them in the last kms.

10k doesn't require carb loading etc so I eat normally pre race.

Do your best but don't worry about other peoples results or about being lapped. Treat the race as a learning experience, set a time and beat it next time and as I mentioned before enjoy it..

yop

Well I have a PB to start with anyway of 55.59

Bit disappointed really but I did exactly what everyone else told me not to do, but maybe it was excitement/stupidity but I stuck in at the back and tried to keep with "last" pack for the first lap, putting in 4.30, 9.05 for the first 2 km. That extended to sub 25min for the 5km mark, then it went pear shapped and I was on my own (except for the 7 or 8 top guys who lapped me)
I hit 7km at 36min so I was well on track for the 50min mark that I had ear marked but my shins and calf played up badly so struggled to the finish line.

Weather was fantastic, but I think I was out of my dept big time. Not a bad route, a few hills but the winner, I heard, came in about 28 minutes!!

Legs are cat sore today so I would really want to learn how to warm up for an event like this.

pgibbo

Winning time was 29:59 by Gary Thornton of GCH. Info here. I understand it's the first time in the 40 year history of the race that anyone has gone sub 30. So you picked a good day to race yop!

A 3 or 4k easy jog as a warm up with some strides would probably serve you well as a warm up. I guess it's different for everyone so keep track of your warm up for a few events and how you race after it. Won't take too long to figure out what works for you.

Congrats on your PB. You have a true target to aim for now. You picked a tough race to run your first 10k. A very high quality field, large percentage went sub 40, from what I hear.

littlebug

Well done Yop. You did indeed pick a hard race to start with! I had hoped to be there myself (just to watch!) but couldn't make it. I can't advise on the running but to put your result into perspective have a look at results of other bigger 10k races. For example that same time in last years fields of athenry would put you just below mid field rather than at the tail end. I know it's the same result but it's a bit of a psychological boost! Now you've got Clarinbridge next weekend and Athenry in Dec to choose from to beat your pb :cool:
Isn't there a 5k in Westport in Dec too?

ecoli

yop wrote: »

Well I have a PB to start with anyway of 55.59

Bit disappointed really but I did exactly what everyone else told me not to do, but maybe it was excitement/stupidity but I stuck in at the back and tried to keep with "last" pack for the first lap, putting in 4.30, 9.05 for the first 2 km. That extended to sub 25min for the 5km mark, then it went pear shapped and I was on my own (except for the 7 or 8 top guys who lapped me)
I hit 7km at 36min so I was well on track for the 50min mark that I had ear marked but my shins and calf played up badly so struggled to the finish line.

Weather was fantastic, but I think I was out of my dept big time. Not a bad route, a few hills but the winner, I heard, came in about 28 minutes!!

Legs are cat sore today so I would really want to learn how to warm up for an event like this.

Well done on the PB and dont worry too much about going off like i train at start and dying we all do it at some stage. I myself have been running over ten years and i still managed to do the same in a 5k race not too long ago. Its a learning curve that you will get through experience. Main thing is you have a PB which to work off and build towards beating . Keep up the good work

spurscormac

Just took a look at the results of that race - there's a small but high quality field there, with almost half the runners sub-40.

Well done on completing it, a bit of training and you'll soon see the times drop.
Where are you based - there's plenty of clubs out there that you could join, would be easier than training alone.

yop

Good to see I wasn't last! Thanks for the link Gibbo. Sorry my time was 56.02

Thanks for the compliments folks, I appreciate that. From even looking around the field the guys there all seemed to be well clued in but as they say "theres always one!" , which was me.
Soccer season is over now in a couple of weeks so I will be able to get out 3 or 4 times a week to get the legs working better.


Littlebug - will be missing some of those I am afraid as I have a match next weekend. I did hear something about a 5km so all going well I will do that am bring along the 3 brother in laws who I have got into a bit of running.
There is a 5km in Leeaun in a few weeks so I will aim for that and push for a sub 25.

Is there anywhere else outside of RunIreland where they would list the races which are on?

I think the fit4life run afterwards kept this race to a fairly professional standard.

SpursCormac - I am down in Castlebar, I have a few lads who have started running

Thanks for all your advice anyway.

toomuchdetail

YOP - if you get enough of interest it might be worth setting up some a group runs for 5-10k at week ends, I am based in Westport and its getting harder to motivate myself in the evenings. 5k tonight on the threadmill in the gym was like a week of Mondays . Have ran a few half marathons this year and want to keep it ticking over during the winter with a weekly 10k .A lot of great runners around mostly sub 3hr marathon guys but would not in their league , just a plodder who enjoys been outdoors.

littlebug

Yop some of the Mayo races appear on the events section of the Mayo sports partnership website http://www.mayosports.ie/CalendarofEventsTrainingCourses/
Other than that the athenryac website is a good source.

I see the leenane one is in there but it's 5 miles rather than 5k.

Toomuchdetail there are fit4life groups in Castlebar, Ballina, Claremorris and I think Westport? It mightn't be your cup of tea but it also might be a good way of finding people at the same level as you and it's a good motivation to get out of the house!

toomuchdetail

Thanks will take a look , expermenting witha headtorch to help extend the running day.

rainbow kirby

yop wrote: »

Good to see I wasn't last! Thanks for the link Gibbo. Sorry my time was 56.02

Thanks for the compliments folks, I appreciate that. From even looking around the field the guys there all seemed to be well clued in but as they say "theres always one!" , which was me.

Well done on the race, it always feels a bit weird doing the first one, but it gets very addictive! You've probably learnt a bit too about what works for you and what doesn't, and you'll remember that for the next time.

Personally I find 10k races a pain in the arse to pace anyway, it's way too easy to go out fast and end up feeling like death after 7-8km.

yop

toomuchdetail wrote: »

YOP - if you get enough of interest it might be worth setting up some a group runs for 5-10k at week ends, I am based in Westport and its getting harder to motivate myself in the evenings. 5k tonight on the threadmill in the gym was like a week of Mondays . Have ran a few half marathons this year and want to keep it ticking over during the winter with a weekly 10k .A lot of great runners around mostly sub 3hr marathon guys but would not in their league , just a plodder who enjoys been outdoors.

I know what you mean, I have 3 brother in laws in Castlebar who hit the track about twice per week, got out in the torrents last nite but once you get out you don't notice it. If I wasn't meeting them would I still go

There are a few mates of mine running in Westport, so I will mention it to them to see if they would be interested in a regular run.

littlebug wrote: »

Yop some of the Mayo races appear on the events section of the Mayo sports partnership website http://www.mayosports.ie/CalendarofEventsTrainingCourses/
Other than that the athenryac website is a good source.

I see the leenane one is in there but it's 5 miles rather than 5k.

Toomuchdetail there are fit4life groups in Castlebar, Ballina, Claremorris and I think Westport? It mightn't be your cup of tea but it also might be a good way of finding people at the same level as you and it's a good motivation to get out of the house!

Thanks for that, good site. 5m, 5km.. its all pain in my body
Them fit4life seem like a great idea, wonder what they do on a night?

yop

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Well done on the race, it always feels a bit weird doing the first one, but it gets very addictive! You've probably learnt a bit too about what works for you and what doesn't, and you'll remember that for the next time.

Personally I find 10k races a pain in the arse to pace anyway, it's way too easy to go out fast and end up feeling like death after 7-8km.

thanks very much. Its a "nice" distance as in I know I can "do it", but yip I THINK I have learnt but then implementing that when the group are tearing off is another thing!