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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think a 10k in two months is unrealistic?

156 replies

LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 04:05

A friend of ours is doing a 10k in a few months that’s a fundraiser for brain cancer (he lost his dad to brain cancer last year). Another friend has decided to join him (he’s a cancer survivor himself, not brain cancer though), and they’ve today asked DH to join as well (he lost his mum over Christmas to brain cancer). He’s agreed, but he has less than 2 months to train.

While I think it’s great DH wants to get in shape and support such an important
cause, him thinking he can run 10k in 2 months is absolute insanity to be completely honest. DH hasn’t been a member of a gym in almost 8 years and he doesn’t exercise beyond kicking the footy with the kids (every now and then he decides to start running, goes twice and I don’t hear about it again for 6+ months). These friends are much fitter than he is; the one who signed up first has been training for this since last year, the other is a regular runner. DH is not where either of them are at at all and regularly complains about how unfit he is.

He claims he’ll train but my question is when? He works full time and we have 3 kids, so weekends are pretty full. He and SILs are also in the process of clearing out their mum’s house so they can put it on the market, which is time consuming. He starts work at 7:30am so before work isn’t really an option (he’s not a morning person as it is). He mentioned his way home from work, which would be doable 3 nights of the week (the other 2 nights our kids have sport commitments at the same time in different locations, so we need to divide and conquer). He has a side business that he works on of an evening. And weekends have more kids sport, plus the usual kids runaround and social commitments, plus trying to squeeze in him going to his mum’s. And then there’s the matter that adding something else to his plate at the moment takes away even more time from his kids (or from my time with him if he was to go of an evening after the kids are in bed). I just don’t see how this is possible and feel he’s taking on more than he can chew.

I said I didn’t see how this was going to work and he accused me of being unsupportive. I’m not trying to be unsupportive, but I am trying to be realistic/practical. If he wants to get in shape, great! But maybe start small with a couple of gym sessions a week until he has more capacity. If he wants to run the 10k for his mum, incredible! But maybe aim for next year or a different location later this year so he has time to actually train for it. AIBU to think it’s crazy to attempt a 10k in less than 2 months given these circumstances?

OP posts:
Pennydroppedtodaysniff · 18/05/2026 06:06

@LavenderSkies why are you so invested in this, surely youd just let him crack on and try? My ex at a last minute decided to run the marathon as part of a group raising money for a child. They made it, even though he wasn't a regular runner. Your husband may just pull it out of the hat

Iocanepowder · 18/05/2026 06:04

YABVU

(sorry for duplicate post, phone froze)

10k is really not that far, even for non-runners.

I am not a runner and i hate it. But i’ve done 2 of them in my time, with some training but not much. Sounds like a great thing he is doing.

Iocanepowder · 18/05/2026 06:04

YABVU

BoleynMemories13 · 18/05/2026 06:02

Yes, you are being unreasonable. He's not signed up for a marathon, or even a half marathon. It's 6.2 miles, approximately an hour of running give it take 10 minutes either way for most people.

Most of his training could easily take place at the weekends. He could do a 5k parkrun each Saturday for the next month, to ease him back in to running, and just squeeze in a bit of extra running in as and when around that, likely with his friends (training is always better in a group, it's easier to motivate yourself and each other). The month before the race, he can up the distance to 4 or 5 miles. He doesn't even need to have run up to 10k before the day of the event. An extra mile or so is nothing once you can run about 5 miles.

A 10k doesn't need a dedicated training programme like a longer distance, he just needs to get running regularly over the next 2 months to better prepare his body for an hour or so of running. It's a fun run, not a serious club race. He can walk bits if he needs to. Also, he doesn't have to keep up with his faster/fitter friends. He can run it on his own, at his own pace. If they wish to run it together, then the faster/fitter friends will need to run it at his pace, not the other way around. They convinced him to sign up, after all.

Good on your DH for wanting to take on this challenge and good luck to him. It's a couple of months of him potentially being a little bit less available over the weekends for an hour or so each day, that's all. You need to be more supportive. There's no way your average person needs a year to train for a 10k, just a few lifestyle changes here and there for the next couple of months will make it more than possible.

Original poster
LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 05:56

Thanks to all the helpful comments - as mentioned, I’m not and never have been a runner (I far prefer walking or hiking) so it seems I’ve really overestimated the level of committed training that would be required to do something like this. I was thinking it was going to be every day of the week
for a couple of hours at a time, which our family realistically cannot accommodate at the moment. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. But a few times a week at shorter sessions is definitely a lot more doable and hopefully he’ll be feeling ready and confident when the 10k comes.

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 18/05/2026 05:52

I agree with him, you’re being unsupportive. He only needs to go on a run a few times a week, 1hr max. I’d be encouraging him, and if you’re not getting time to yourself then try and make that happen.

Barney16 · 18/05/2026 05:51

I think he could do it. As others have said he doesn't have to run the whole way. Lots of people run a bit, walk a bit, including me 🙂. There are loads of apps with training plans for beginners, also if he can fit in walking into his daily schedule that gives a bit of a boost, so can he park away from work and walk the last bit etc etc. He needs a good pair of running shoes.

Original poster
LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 05:49

HelmholtzWatson · 18/05/2026 05:29

YABU. if he used to be a gym goer (did you make him stop that too?), then he will likely have a base level of fitness. 10k is nothing. He could walk it in 2 hours.

If you don't want to support him, fine, but that doesn't mean you actively have to try and find ways to block him.

Who peed in your cereal this morning? I couldn’t have rolled my eyes harder at your response 🙄

OP posts:
Pigeonpoodle · 18/05/2026 05:47

Also, I did a 10k in mid-January with barely any training at all after far too much indulging over Christmas (maybe 4-5 short runs in the previous two months - definitely less than one per week on average). I didn’t do a great time but was fine. I’m 50 by the way, so not exactly young any more!

Original poster
LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 05:46

Cutchemist · 18/05/2026 05:24

I’m not sure why you’re so against it. Are you concerned for his pride, health? Is it the time and you having to do more? If he’s able enough he can walk half of it. Let him worry about whether it’s a bad idea and you just get on with life

Not against it at all! I’m not (and never have been) a runner, so it seems I’ve severely overestimated how much training would be required and also didn’t realise that walking part of it would be an option. I was worried it’d get to the day, he wouldn’t be ready, and he’d be really upset/frustrated in himself or feel like he was letting his mum down if he couldn’t do it.

OP posts:
Sartre · 18/05/2026 05:43

Pigeonpoodle · 18/05/2026 05:36

I did a 10k road race only yesterday… I’m not especially fit but did it in just under one hour.

If he was thinking of doing a marathon (which I’ve also done) from nothing in two months then I’d agree with you, but unless he has serious health issues then 10k is very doable.

If he runs for 30-45 minutes twice a week over that time, he’ll be fine (I didn’t even do that but I was OK!) and be killing it when it gets to race day. Even if he can’t do that and can only do one run a week in the first month, he’ll be ok.

10k is not a marathon - please stop thinking like it is!, and anyone who’s either neither old nor has a serious underlying health issue should be able to complete a 10k with minimal training over a two month period.

Sorry but you are pretty fit. I’ve been running for years and my 10k time still isn’t quite under an hour, doing a sub hour 10k is hard.

Agix · 18/05/2026 05:37

Yeah he'll be fine. Totally doable.

Pigeonpoodle · 18/05/2026 05:36

I did a 10k road race only yesterday… I’m not especially fit but did it in just under one hour.

If he was thinking of doing a marathon (which I’ve also done) from nothing in two months then I’d agree with you, but unless he has serious health issues then 10k is very doable.

If he runs for 30-45 minutes twice a week over that time, he’ll be fine (I didn’t even do that but I was OK!) and be killing it when it gets to race day. Even if he can’t do that and can only do one run a week in the first month, he’ll be ok.

10k is not a marathon - please stop thinking like it is!, and anyone who’s either neither old nor has a serious underlying health issue should be able to complete a 10k with minimal training over a two month period.

Sartre · 18/05/2026 05:34

I think some people do it but end up walking. Being able to run 10k without stopping is unlikely in two months as a non runner. Most people do the couch to 5k which takes 9 weeks and it’s a hugely successful route into running but obviously half the distance. 10k isn’t easy but particularly for someone who doesn’t run and hasn’t even worked out for almost a decade. I think he’s underestimating it but maybe he could do it in intervals.

BurnTheWholeThingDown · 18/05/2026 05:31

It’s only 10k.

And I know that sounds ridiculous but as any runner will tell you, the distance dysphoria kicks in very quickly. I started running a year ago, couldn’t do one lap of the gym car park. I did a 10k after six weeks and a half marathon after six months, and a 1hr ish 10k is a Wednesday morning easy run.

Give him a bit of support. Training is just half an hour to an hour three times a week and will halve his chances of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and premature death.

tulippa · 18/05/2026 05:30

It's quite common for people to participate in 10k events by walking most of the distance.

HelmholtzWatson · 18/05/2026 05:29

YABU. if he used to be a gym goer (did you make him stop that too?), then he will likely have a base level of fitness. 10k is nothing. He could walk it in 2 hours.

If you don't want to support him, fine, but that doesn't mean you actively have to try and find ways to block him.

Cutchemist · 18/05/2026 05:24

I’m not sure why you’re so against it. Are you concerned for his pride, health? Is it the time and you having to do more? If he’s able enough he can walk half of it. Let him worry about whether it’s a bad idea and you just get on with life

KellyJonesLeatherTrousers · 18/05/2026 05:15

This is absolutely doable and I would be helping DH work out a plan to make it happen. The c25K app is great. Ultimately, he doesn’t have to run the whole thing, he can interval with running and walking. The fundraising is the important thing and he will get fitter whatever he manages.

Original poster
LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 05:09

peppaispoop · 18/05/2026 05:04

Why don’t you let him decide how and when he trains for himself?

Why are you being so combative?

I am not a runner - I have already commented that it seems I have really overestimated how much training would be required, so if it’s doable for him to make this happen, great. But at the same time, training needs to fit around his other commitments - work, our children, his mum’s estate.

OP posts:
2026newname · 18/05/2026 05:07

It’s a 10k not a marathon, 8 weeks is plenty of time. Surely he has 30-45 mins spare 2-3 times a week…

peppaispoop · 18/05/2026 05:04

Why don’t you let him decide how and when he trains for himself?

Original poster
LavenderSkies · 18/05/2026 05:02

I am clearly not a runner myself - it seems I have very much overestimated how much training would be needed for him to achieve this.

@PlugUgly1980 unfortunately not possible for him to train on his lunch break, he only gets a half hour and would need to actually eat plus shower etc (he meets with clients daily so can’t be sweaty and gross). We’re also not in the UK, so coming into winter here. Mornings are freezing and dark, and DH struggles to be out the door on time as it is. He’s never been a morning person and he’s really struggled with his work’s switch to a 7:30am start, so while I’ll suggest morning gym sessions realistically it’s not likely.

OP posts:
TheMillionthBeautyAddict · 18/05/2026 05:00

I’ve done some of these types of runs in my life, usually you can alternate walking and running. He’s lost his mum relatively recently. He probably feels the need to do something. This is a time to support him.

BridgeNewton · 18/05/2026 04:59

Have him download the C25K app - its great and works through a progressive training schedule that can have him doing at least 5k comfortably in 2 months,

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