I am planning to update this thread every day until 6th August when I am running a 10k race. I want to keep myself accountable to stick to my training and eating plans. Hopefully I will be able to run this faster than in 2021 when I hardly trained for it - I think around 1 hr 35 and even better I might run it faster than in 2017 when I followed couch to 5 K and then a 5k - 10k app and ran it in around 1 hour 20 mins. It is quite a hilly one and I am not a particularly fast runner (as you can tell from those times) but it is a very inclusive event and I shouldn't be last!
Currently I usually run a parkrun once a week but that is about it so my plan includes a long run on a Sunday every week. 8K tomorrow, then 10k, 12k, 8 k and then it is race day. I will also do my weekly parkrun apart from the day before the race. On top of this I am going to do intervals either at my DH's running club on track night (which is about an hour) or on a Tuesday or Wednesday on my own - probably a fartlek session outside for around half an hour. I think I could do both of these during my annual leave week the week after next.
I will be able to get myself up the hills quicker if I could also lose a bit of weight in the next four weeks so I am going to double down and quit sugar and follow the no S plan (no snacks, no sugar, no seconds) for the four weeks too - hence the need to post every day despite training three days a week.
I realise it is not ideal to start four weeks before the race but it is better than not starting at all.
Any encouragement would be very welcome or if anyone else has a similar goal for around the same time it would be lovely if you joined in but I will write this for myself anyway so I don't mind either way.
I have written out my plan on a calendar and done my parkrun today so I reckon there are 12 more runs to do. Today's parkrun was flat and my time was 35 and a half minutes so I reckon 1 hr 20 or less is a reasonable goal for a hilly 10k. I should probably make myself my lentil stew that I have for lunches when I am going well on the eating plan. Then I will be all set for a good start.
Starting weight 77kg - I don't think there is much point in having a goal for that apart from to stick to the plan every day, although 2.5 kg would be amazing and possibly achievable in the time frame.