run 10k

How I did it: I write this directly after the local 10k race that I have just run IN ITS ENTIRETY!

It all started 12 weeks ago with a friend challenging my boyfriend and I to sign up. Initially, I laughed. I'm talking real, hearty guffaws. I could barely run between lampposts, let alone contemplate a 10k. But after some gentle persuasion from the boyfriend indicating the fact that I'd been talking about getting fitter for a while and this would provide a decent goal to aim for at the same time, I reconsidered and signed myself up.

I had a look around the web for training plans, found one that I thought would suit me, printed it off, pinned it to the fridge and got stuck in.

The first few sessions were purely quick walking, and then the jogging came in. I just remember the milestones - running non-stop for 4 minutes, then 8 minutes, then 10, 12, 15, 20 minutes before walking. After about 9 weeks I was able to run 45 minutes non-stop which equated to approximately 8km. Even more interesting was that I was actually enjoying running - a hugely alien feeling , let me tell you!

My training tailed off in the last few weeks mostly due to some pretty hideous work commitments where weekend working and 10pm finishes were disturbingly regular, so I only managed to get out once or twice a week, *but* it's all about the foundations, people. If you start well, it means your fitness decreases a lot less rapidly than you might think.

Today, our friends and I finally ran it - my friend B and I ran the whole thing, no stopping, no "quick walks", just pure running. It took us 1:04 - not brilliant by any club standards, but we were SO PROUD of ourselves. Everyone was buzzing with energy afterwards - the feeling of finishing a race is so exhilarant!

I'm definitely going to keep up the training. We're booking ourselves in for another 10k race in a few weeks time...

Lessons & tips:

• Get a training plan, print it out and put it somewhere you will see it everyday. I used this training plan
• Get a decent pair of running shoes.
• Some days you can't do what the training plan says, some days you can do more - don't worry! Do what you can, and only push yourself when you mentally feel strong enough. It's purely there as a guide!
• After running, stretch!!! No really!! You really feel the difference when you stretch well and when you don't.
• Running burns fat like you wouldn't believe! Balls to diets - you can lose a heck of a lot of weight this way! Make sure you fuel your body with enough food, and make it good fuel.
• I liked to break up my running training with toning to strengthen muscles - teaming toning and running together makes for a very svelte figure!
• HAVE FUN and just get out there and do it!

Mar 29, 08:26AM PDT | 0 comments | 4 cheers