10 MILE RUNNING, HOW MUCH TRAINING?

fraggle1

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone can give me any hope. I had signed up for the 10mile race a while back and was running roughly three times a week up to a month ago. Even then I had a long way to go even then! Anyway, due to some unfortunate circumstances I couldn't train for the last while. Is it too ambitious to train for ten mile race in four weeks??? Im feeling very frustrated!

Thanks

digme

how many miles per week were you doing when you quit

fraggle1

not many tbh possibly 5miles

MisterAdam

First of all, I would go ahead with the race. Really why wouldn't you? You've paid your fee. The worst that can happen is that you don't run well. Barring a midrace injury, you can definitely finish 10 miles. Walk for a bit if you have to. I don't want to sound patronising because I'm not exactly Flash Gordon myself, but there will definitely be someone there who is slower than you.
But perhaps you want to do well, and wouldn't bother showing up if you weren't able to give it your best. If so, fair enough. Four weeks isn't exactly ideal. But you can make some improvements.
How fit are you now? What's the longest distance you can run at the moment?

fraggle1

probably around 2miles

MisterAdam

Okay to be honest that's not very far. And if that's actually the furthest you can run now, there's no way you'll be able to run for a whole 10 miles in 4 weeks.
However, I would still go ahead with it for a few reasons.
Firstly, perhaps you can actually run further - try to slow down to a pace you can maintain for longer. It doesn't matter how slow, just try to keep going.
Secondly, as I said before, there will be people there who are slower than you. People show up to races like this and walk the whole distance. I know a guy who, with no training whatsoever, on the night before the race, decided to run the New York Marathon. He didn't even own a pair of runners. I think it took him 7 hours.
Thirdly, the excitement of a race will help get you to the end. There's something about the crowds or competition or supporters or something that will always make you push a little harder. When I ran my first race two years ago - I did barely any training and had no idea whether I would get to the finish.
If you decide to go ahead, this is my advice - run for longer. You really have to start building a little endurance by going for longer runs. The more miles you can put in every week the better. At this stage it doesn't matter how slow they are.
Good luck! And remember you can always walk a bit and run a bit.

fraggle1

Thanks a million Adam. I think I will run it..well run and walk. Thanks a million for your advice

colblimp

Just to put things into perspective - I ran a 69:39 Dungarvan 10 in January off no run training whatsoever for about 3 months, so I wouldn't worry too much!

MisterAdam

No problem. One more thing though - you shouldn't train right up to the race. Take around 5 days off beforehand. Your legs will need the rest.
And let us know how you get on.

Krusty_Clown

If you are going to go ahead with it, commit 100% now. Get rid of any doubt. If you are going with a run-walk strategy, start near the back of the crowd. That way, as you make your way around the course, you will be passing other runners instead of being passed, which is a huge psychological boost.

See how your progress is going, but if you are going to end up walking, do it at predefined times, rather than 'when you feel like it'. So one possible strategy might be to walk for 4 minutes every time you pass a mile marker, then go back to a jog, until you hit the next mile marker.

The most important thing is to enjoy the race. Then next time around you'll be more likely to put in uninterrupted training.

woody1

similar story
training for achill roar, did a lot on the bike and neglected the running for the last while as i was also doing bike section in local triathlon, upshot of this being i hadnt run more than 4k in the past 5 weeks, i had gotten up to 10k before that..
went to do a local 5k run and discovered that the 5k was a walk mammys and babies in buggies kind of thing and the run was actually 11k decided to give it a shot... there was only 40 in it so i presumed id be at the back and end up flat last didnt bother me in the slightest.. ran at as regular a pace as i could trying to use my watch and some of the slower runners around to pace myself
finished it in the end , ran the whole thing, in 66 minutes or thereabouts and i wasnt last i think there were maybe 4 or 5 behind me .. thats the longest ive ever run..
so it can be done..as others have said try running slower for longer in your training and try to get your distance up as much as possible beforehand and if all else fails walk...
im under pressure from a friend to sign up for the 10 mile as well since the 11k is the furthest ive ever run im a bit dubious as well but il probably give it a lash anyway.. if i wasnt running it id probably be training so whats the difference..

Oryx

There is nothing like an event to spur your training on, so go for it. I dont think anyone ever feels ready the first time they do a distance they havent run before, hopefully you will surprise yourself. Set a fixed plan for the next four weeks, (including rest time before the race) and stick to it.

Then give it a lash on the day, and see what you can do. The main thing is to believe in your head you can do it, and never allow yourself to think during the race that you cant.

shg101

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

If you are going to go ahead with it, commit 100% now. Get rid of any doubt. If you are going with a run-walk strategy, start near the back of the crowd. That way, as you make your way around the course, you will be passing other runners instead of being passed, which is a huge psychological boost.

See how your progress is going, but if you are going to end up walking, do it at predefined times, rather than 'when you feel like it'. So one possible strategy might be to walk for 4 minutes every time you pass a mile marker, then go back to a jog, until you hit the next mile marker.

The most important thing is to enjoy the race. Then next time around you'll be more likely to put in uninterrupted training.

This is the only advice you need. Google run-walk method. Decide your strategy. Bring your watch. Start at the back.

2nd Row Donkey

4 weeks to get from 2 miles to 10 miles.. hmm, *strokes chins*

You'd want to be hitting 7 or 8 miles the week before and then rest on the last week except for maybe a 4 mile slow jog 4-5 days before race day.

Set yourself a target of 4 miles by the end of this weekend. 6 miles by the end of next weekend and 8 miles the following weekend. Seems fairly achieveable to me.

Just do shorter runs in between 2-3 miles in week 1, 3 or 4 miles next week and no more then 5 miles on the short runs in week 3. Only train every second day. Anymore then that and you'll come a cropper by the 3rd week and you won't manage the 8 miler the weekend before the race.

W.B. Yeats

No disrespect to the folks on here but shouldn't all our advice come with a health warning?

I mean I was under the impression that in order to avoid injury you should build up distance at no more than 10% per week?

I'm not saying to the OP not to do the race, as a one off I'm sure that with a positive attitude he'll get through it. The run walk deal sounds the best of all the advice on here.
However whether he's able to walk the next day will be another story and whether he ever runs again is also another story

I'm all for positive attitude and just do it mentality but shouldn't we be careful in the sort of advice that is doled out on this site?

woody1

fair point.. i guess do a bit this week and next week and see how your getting on but dont go mental personally i think the 10% increase thing is a little bit restrictive if you do 5k one day you cant go over 5.5k the following day anyway thats getting away from the point, run-walk is definitely the best advice..

fraggle1

Hey, just wanted to say thanks a million for all the advice.It was really helpful. I'm actually doing alot better than I thought I could. Im doing 7 miles at the moment and feeling proud of myself.Im really determined to get to ten...I may be one of the very slowest runners there but I'll be so thrilled to have gotten that far!

shinedown

hi im doing the ten mile too..i wouldnt consider myself uber fit. You will be fine just pace yourself and do not be tempted to start off too fast with the rest of the pack.

Best of luck!