If you’re a runner…..

Go to a specialist running shop for the trainers; being heavier and building up to hour+ runs, a well fitted pair will help ward off niggles.

Good sports bra is a must.

It's worth having a sports watch too. Garmin is a good value, practical brand (others avaliable). I'm currently working on a training plan on my watch with the sessions on the screen, and it instructs based on heart rate/ time/ distance which is useful. When doing out and back routes, pre-programming the distance to know where my turning point is is very useful. They're also good for getting objective information on pace/ heart rate so you can see how much effort you're putting in (and if you need to back off). I like to record my runs in a book so I can see progress and patterns, and refer back to routes. Watches are quite easy to get second hand particularly since Garmin has a newish entry level of watch.

C25k is the hardest stage of running- I first did it post-baby, and was back on it this time last year due to injury recovery and in 12m I've gone from wk2 of C25k to Jeffing a marathon in a "running" time. Originally it took me a while to get to 5k (mostly to do with a young baby, winter illness and starting a new job) and then I signed up for a 14k fun run intending to run/ walk and accidentally ran it all and got talked into a HM in a post run high. They were 3 & 6m after completing C25k and there were lulls in that time.

Once your body is adapted to running for 30 mins, it's relatively easy to add time/ distance on. Just use a proper training plan that considers rest weeks of reduced time on feet. Also have a gentle week just before the event.

Don't save parkrun until the end, you can walk, run/ walk, run as you need and it's a good introduction to organised events.

Warm-up and cool down. I stretch off on the doorstep after the run. Warming up is gently using a range of movement to prepare your muscles. There's loads of 5 minute videos on youtube.
Strength work is also helpful at warding off niggles. Fortunately that doesn't have to mean special body building sessions at the gym; short frequent body weight sesions/ yoga/ pilates all help. Even just building some exercises into your warm up/ cool down routine for a few minutes can help strengthen weaker muscles without too much additional load of time and effort.

It is a sensible, acheivable goal that can be met with a well planned schedule, basic gear, and a determined but open mind. Good luck!

Mine is similar from M&S, different colours though. It has a larger cup size, but stops the wobble. The clasps with the zip are fab, and the design means the zip is away from the breast.
It's fantastic.

I like a good strong sports bra. Mine comes from M&S and zips up the front. No wobble at all. Same style as this one. https://www.marksandspencer.com/extra-high-impact-non-wired-sports-bra-a-e/p/clp60483515#intid=plpnav_pid_pg1pip48g4r3c1 £25.

The larger the field in a 10km, the more chance there will be more people walking. I've done small one before where I ran the whole way but was still one of the last to finish.
30 mins for a 5km is a pretty good time in my book. I've had periods where I ran very consistently and was a healthy weight and only just cracked it. Some people are built for endurance running, some of us aren't :-) but I still enjoy it.

Even when I ran a lot faster than I am now, I still may have walked portions of a 10k. Definitely look at Jeffing.

I haven’t RTFT, but make sure you get a good quality bra.

Definitely doable. I think there is an app or programme to follow once you’ve finished the couch to 5k to get to 10k. The couch to 5k got me into running, I’d tried before but given up as it was too hard, but as it was gradual it really worked.

enjoy your running and get that 10k booked.

I did couch to marathon in 6 months so yes, more than doable!

Make it a habit and don’t dwell on the runs you hate. Most importantly, don’t compare yourself to others. Good luck and have a blast!

I like running in the rain.
the wet air feels really good in your lungs.
plus fewer dogs.

10km in that time frame is doable! Go for it!
Even if you need to walk it, I'd still enter. You can probably walk 10km now; it's just a case of steadily building up the run distance. Keep it slow paced, don't run too fast (always try to chat which keeps your speed in check), go to Parkrun...have fun!

Yes, the first time you do it in the rain
The first time you do it and it's cold.
The first time in the dark.
The first time in hail and wind.
The first time there's actual ice on the ground.

You get a massive buzz of achievement.

I never, ever thought I'd be the kind of person who went running in all weathers, but I have become one. Even when you get back and you're skin turns red cos it's so cold. This is the best time of year, before it gets too warm to run.

someone told me a few years ago that motivation doesn't come before you do something, it comes after you've done it

totally this.
there is nothing better than the feeling of achievement after a run.

Yes it's definitely doable in that time frame and I have to say I think it's an excellent birthday present to yourself!

Taking up running is the best thing I ever did, I'm off antidepressants, more confident and happy, and a much better person all round for my family and friends.

My best advice to you is that you WILL lose motivation, you'll have days where you really cannot be arsed to do your run but someone told me a few years ago that motivation doesn't come before you do something, it comes after you've done it. So you have to do the thing when you don't want to in order to be more motivated. I always think of that when it's raining, I'm tired and fed up - I usually tell myself if I'm drained ill do a shorter run but all I need is to get myself out the door and usually end up feeling better after.

wrt bra - decathlon have a simple pull-over type (or contortionist type as I call them) for around 15£ they are better than any expensive one I had previously. but not sure about their sizing.

their own brand running shoes are also decent for a start. once you know you like running you can upgrade.

Don't forget a decent sports bra!

I've been "running" since doing athletics in school, and have been asked for advice from friends/family many times for those who wanted to start from close to zero.

A few comments, that others have already touched on:

• Make sure you have comfortable runners, and keep these for running. It's a very good investment!
• Be careful with respect to niggles and injuries. It is so easy to pick something up, when you have not been using the same muscle groups to the same extent. If you fell something is wrong, then don't push it.
• It's nice to have an aggressive goal like you have, but don't get too tied to up on follow exactly the plan. If you feel you need to repeat a week, or repeat it twice, then do!! You'll get there in the end.

Good luck!!

definitely doable.

once you finished 5k running the step up to 10 is actually not that big.

don't forget to do exercises for your core and make sure your shoes are up to the job.

good luck

Definitely. As pp have said, 0-5k is the hardest. Anything after that is psychological. I got to 5, then tried a bit further, then further, then further. Been running 3 years.

Sometimes I have a great run and it's all going well. I could run all day. Other days, I barely get to 1k before I need a breather. Doesn't mean I can't run anymore, I might be tired/dehydrated/wrong headspace/low iron.

Currently have a knee I'm worrying about, but too scared to get looked at, but it's an old, old injury.

I did a 10k before I finished the C25K so it's definitely possible

Running shoes are a must

I hated running. It was hugely mental for me, I would always stop after 100 yards or so. Any inkling of discomfort I would stop. I just equated discomfort with inability to run.

I did my first 3k non stop with a friend, around a park. 500m uphill but then getting the pay off of the next 500m downhill. My mindset changed. I knew I’d feel better in a minute or two once I reached the downhill section.

then I did 3k on my own, always stopping just before a big incline. That incline became a target to overcome. Mentally.

I did it once knowing it had a lovely decline on the other side.

then I got to 5k. Then 7k. Then 10k

My longest run so far has been 17k, no stops. I can now do 5k no problem at all. The only thing that has held me back is niggling injuries. Which quite frankly are infuriating but now I always listen to my body and stop whenever I feel a niggle, no matter what distance I am at when it happens.

Im 52. I started last year and now I’m running on average around 40k each week.

and I’m doing it all for myself. No races or park runs, no targets to reach by a certain time. Just take (and enjoy) each run as it comes. It’s worked wonders for my overall health.

Definitely doable.

The c-2-5k app is actually about getting to the point of running for 30 mins at a time. Depending on your running speed it may be that this is actually 4km for you. That's totally ok.

Do the c-2-5k initially up to about the point when you are running 15 mins at a time, but then instead of stretching to 30 mins as the next step, work out how long it will take you to do 10km at that pace and custom-build your own programme to build gradually to that duration.

Eg you might do

2x 15 min runs with 2 mins walking between (total 30 mins)

4x 10 min runs with 2 mins walking between (total 40 mins)

3 x 17 min runs with 2 mins walking between (total 51 mins)

3 × 23 min runs with 2 mins walking between (total 69 mins)

2 x 38 min runs with 2 mins walking between (total 76 mins)

• obviously vary this according to your target time and repeat each stage as many times as you want before building up but 20 weeks is plenty of time.

I did c25k in the first lockdown and ran 12k quite soon after. Couldn't do it now lol but when I was doing it regularly it was quite easy to up it

This is what I think low impact is better on the body. Running is really really hard when you are heavy it's a piece of piss when you are lighter. I got so many injuries while i was overweight so I moved to low impact then resumed running when all the weight came off. I'm injury free now at bmi 20.8.

RunDouble have a great C25k app but they also do a 5 to 10k follow on which is 6 weeks long so might be worth looking at that for when you've completed the 5k
The good thing about this app is that they do timed vs distance settings for each plan so you can choose between the two

Only thing I’d add is that c25k doesn’t aim to have you running 5k at the end of week 9. It aims to get to to run for 30 minutes at the end of week 9. For some people, that will be 5k, but everyone I’ve spoken to who has done c25k took 35-40 minutes’ continuous running to cover the 5k distance.

I did it last year and didn’t get beyond week 8 as we went on holiday and then I couldn’t be arsed 😂

Good luck OP.