5k to 10k in 6 weeks?

[Naebother]

I'm a recent c25k graduate and am running 5k 3 x a week. I have done 2 park runs so far at 38 min and 36 min.

My friend ( who runs marathons) wants us to enter a 10k in 6 weeks time. I've had a look online at training schedules by they all are 4-5 x a week and I can only do 3 runs a week.

Any advice on how I can prepare?

I find running in the dark really hard and tend to slow down - I get scared of injuring myself, so I think you did fantastically today! You will be fine if you can jsut do the longer ones at the weekend.

I signed up to a new running club at the gym today - eek!! It will be my first experience of running with other people.

I've been working hard, did spin Thurs, ran Fri, body attack Sat, body pump yesterday and spin today. Can't seem to actually get any weight off, but my jeans are falling down!

Thanks for the encouragement.

I think your advice is excellent mitchy. I got out for 55 mins this morning and did just over 6 k in that time.
It's daft. I did 6 k this morning and felt disappointed! A few months ago I'd have been ecstatic.

I can get out for a bit longer on Saturday morning so am aiming for a longer run then.

Chops how did you get on at running club?

Oh I'm on my own now with the race. My mate has injury so can't run for next 4 weeks! Poor thing, she is missing it so much. I shouldn't be complaining!

it's horrible that we do that to ourselves isn't it, to go from 'ohmygod, look, now I can 5 km! I am some amazing invincible running MACHINE' straight to 'why can I only run 6km? I am rubbish and should be put to death' etc., I am reasonably happy with my distances now but it's impossible not to notice that I am painfully slow throughout

anyway you've passed the halfway mark and on race day you will be carried along by the running-in-a-pack experience too, it's definitely within your reach

You are doing great Naebother. 3 weeks, so an extra km per week, and there you are!

In April this year I didn't think I could run. In mid September I did a half marathon and was thinking I could be faster, not patting myself on the back!

Running for 55 minutes is excellent! I don't know any thing about yoga, but I think maybe you could work on your core strength and then your speed will pick up and you will be able to run faster, and so you can cover more distance without having to run longer and longer iyswim?

You can try things like sit ups, crunches, twist crunches, crunches with bicycle legs, planks, lunges, squats.

Running club been delayed til next week :( Did a 3.5 mile run yesterday, and then went to gym for a toning class after instead. Today I cycled 8 miles and did Body Pump. Am rather achy now, body pump was a killer today!

[Grin] mitchy. Yeh hopefully on the big day the adrenalin will get me through.

CMOT well done on running a half marathon. That's a great achievement.

Chops you sound mega fit. I know I should do core work but having had 2 cs its my weak area so i normally do my best to avoid it!

I was 4 stone heavier in Jan this year and had never run more than 2 mins in my life

I've lost weight before, but piled it back on, so this time I had to find a way of changing things for good. I'm really enjoying it atm, just hope it lasts. I'm also lucky that all my kids are at school now and I don't work so I have the time to put in.

When was your last cs? It took me a long time to be able to do anything after mine too, I know how you feel. Even two years after, when the twins started nursery and I joined a gym, I couldn't do sit ups. Not sure when it did eventually go back to normal tbh!

Chops that's an amazing achievement. Well done! I could do with losing some weight but I love food. My bmi is 27.
My last cs was 3 years ago so I have no excuse really...

I ran over 9k today. I did 8k in an hour. The last 1k I pretty much walked. I gave myself two walking breaks of a few mins. One at 3k and one at 6k. Seemed to work ok.

I'm so happy. I know now I can do the 10. I may be slow but its within reach

that is fantastic, well done! You are well on the way to hitting the 10k now.

I had a bit of a break yesterday, planning to either run or go to the gym this afternoon.

That's great Nae you are definitely on the way now.

Im making my plan for the last 2 weeks:

How does this sound?

Today did recovery run, 4 k in 30 mins
Thurs I will do 50 min run, 20 min run, 5 min walk, 20 min run.
Sat I will go for a 1 hr run aiming for 8k. With 2 walking breaks like last week.

Next week is final week. So one short fast run on Monday. Thursday a 40 min run..

10k on Sunday.

God I'm nervous already...

am really excited for you! you're going to do so well, bet you surprise yourself

how do you feel with the extra distance, do you like it so far? are you stretching when you finish and eating and that sort of thing?

I felt amazing when I did the 9k. Monday and today it was more of a struggle. I feel like im holding back a bit too. Dont want to use all my energy up too soon!

Today i did 2 laps of the 20k course which is 5k. It was hard as it was very windy and i was running into the wind plus I only had 50 mins to do it.

Do you think I should aim to run the 10k on Saturday? Or just do the hour.

Stretching. Yes Ido some yoga to lengthen calf muscles, hamstrings and quads.

Eating. I am eating more carbs. Should up protein too. I eat well. I love food!

Ran 10k! Very slowly. It took 1 hr 20 min. Very happy.

Add 5 minutes to your runs every week for 6 weeks.

yay you did it! well done! :) still a week or two to go?

One week to go mitchy.

If my legs recover from today I really think i will be able to do it (slowly and with walking breaks)

bring on next Sunday

Out in the dark drizzle this morning. According to my app this is recovery week yay!

Did a short run. It was hard enough, my legs still ache from Saturday.

Countdown to race day...5 days to go.

How do you all prepare for a race in the last week?

I don't know, I always study training schedules and ask my guru and then just do my own thing. Before my half marathon I actually didn't get to run at all for the whole week but it was ok. I think as long as you don't overdo it you will be fine, it's what has gone before that counts, the last few days won't influence things unless you are very tired. So maybe only one or two very short, easy runs for you this week?

am really looking forward to hearing how it goes, your own personal middle aged cheerleader

Well done Naebother! Just a couple of short, easy runs this week now!

Thanks. A short easy run on Thursday it is.

well done on your training! Def take it easy this week. I notice if I am away for a few days and don't run I do better after the break. It's the long term training that counts.