# First 10k race



## bill vts

Well took up running 8 weeks ago and did my first 10k race and came last !!! Still wasn't to surprised about that seeing most of the runners were running club members. I'm more disappointed in myself on how I ran or the lack of it after the 3rd mile, seeing Last week I ran all of a 10k training run but today everything I tried to get a steady pace went out the window ! So any advice on training to get a good mile pace would be helpful last week I was managing 12/13 minute a mile not fast but was consistent.


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## Tricky Red

Try not to run at one pace. You will find you get in a rut and can't improve. Do interval training. Run at your standard pace for a mile then increase your speed for a mile then recovery pace. You will find your stamina increases by quite a bit. Oh and get your gait analysed. So many people wear the wrong shoes for what they need.


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## Spoony

Best piece of advice for me is to run your own race. Forget those around you. Don't get sucked in to trying to keep pace, especially a pace that's much quicker than what you're used to. There'll be 5k runners in there who'll overtake you super quick but you'll find at 9k you're overtaking them. 

Stick to your plan essentially.


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## Ravinder

Congratulations for finishing the 10 k.  you should be proud.


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## bill vts

There was no way I was going to keep up with any of them, I wasn't even going to try. I was fine last week seemed I got the pace right. The 10k road route became very hilly after the third mile, i Just couldn't get going at all, still I will rethink my training routine. I do have a mixture of flat, downhill and up hill on the course I run on. I will try and increase my pace on certain parts of it. Thanks for the advice I look into about getting trainers fitted properly haven't had any problems but I get it checked everything helps.


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## bill vts

Ravinder said:


> Congratulations for finishing the 10 k.  you should be proud.


Thanks It was a big step for me to actually get out there and start to run let alone enter a race for a number of years I've looked at myself seriously thought what the heck are you doing to yourself. I'm not letting this disappointment set me back now got over one hurdle so I wil try harder next time.


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## t1mmy

I echo the sentiments of others here when I say well done. You've only been running 8 weeks and you have got 10k under your belt. Don't lose sight of the fact that you're meant to enjoy it. Going faster requires you to really push yourself which at times isn't fun, but that's what longer nicely paced runs are for.

Just keep it up. If you get out regularly your speed and stamina will naturally increase. You'll also begin to get a feel for when your body is a 'bit more up for it' and running feels like a breeze. Sometimes this isn't the case for whatever reason which is possibly why your 10k race didn't go as well as your 10k training run. Don't let it get you down, it just happens like that sometimes.

I'm not convinced about getting your gait measured etc. We don't naturally run as heel strikers but cushioned trainers encourage us to. I changed my running style a few years ago to forefoot striking and haven't looked back. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable and hopefully injury free.

Good luck for your next 10k!


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## bill vts

I'm going to try to get out at least twice a week I only managed 5 runs in that 8 week period the last 2 runs I managed 5 miles in hour very steady pace, and then 6 half miles in 1 hour 20 minutes. Think I cut the distant down to 3 miles and run abit faster for a the next few weeks hopefully that will help then rebuild the distance up to 6 miles again see how that goes. My time for the 10k race was 1 hour 25 minutes.


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## bill vts

Just a little update on my running progress, well get me knocked 20 minutes off my 10k run time ! well pleased with that at the moment its be very hard to fit the training in, only managed one run this week so far, hopefully beable to get out twice over the weekend for a run. so this week went out on the bike and did two 10k bikes in 30 minutes during the evening.


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## davidcraggs

Try a local parkrun for a free 5km run.

Intervals I'd try 5x1km at 5:45 to 6m per km pace with a 3min rest inbetween each effort.

Also next time you race have a very gentle week leading up to the race (tapering).

Have you got a garmin style gps watch or do you use Strava etc?


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## bill vts

davidcraggs said:


> Try a local parkrun for a free 5km run.
> 
> Intervals I'd try 5x1km at 5:45 to 6m per km pace with a 3min rest inbetween each effort.
> 
> Also next time you race have a very gentle week leading up to the race (tapering).
> 
> Have you got a garmin style gps watch or do you use Strava etc?


I do have a garmin forerunner15 havent looked into the all the setting on it.


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## Harry911

Hi,

Keep it going you will improve with time. 
Time on your feet is always better than speed when your new to running and remember not to do to much to quick. 
I've been running for ten years, I'm now 50, my first 10k was 1hr 10min and my best was when I was 45 at 37min so stay for the long game and you will improve no end. 
All the best.


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## readytogocable

I chop the far off down to 2 miles and run abit speedier for a the following couple of weeks ideally that will help then remake the separation up to 7 miles again perceive how that goes. My time for the 11k race was 1 hour 45 minutes.


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## bill vts

Hello just a little update on how I'm doing ! I can now do a 10k run in 1hr 6 minutes knocked off a whole 20 minutes from my first race time, now run 5k in 28 minutes. finally I did a 10mile run in 1hr 45 minutes on my first attempt at that distance, Mixing the running with 12 -16 mile mountain biking which I do in just over a hour for the 12miles, and 1hr 20minutes for the 16 miler! Lost 4 stone in weight down from a heavy 17 stone !


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## davidcraggs

Good work!


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## jspeed2

Excellent work mate keep it up!


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## bill vts

Thanks it's been hard going went out this morning at stupid o'clock like 5.45am. Anyhow I took another 2 minutes off my 10k time !! 1hr 4minutes !! Next year in April if I carry on going like this going be a few shocked people around. Oh im old git of 42 !! Ha ha oh like 20 odd minutes off the winners time......and for me oh to take running up since April is shocking..point to prove may well be my motivation long story that maybe one day in tell the story.


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## bill vts

Back again did a 7 mile race, and the time i got was 1hr 7 minutes! On a hilly run well pleased with that. Seeing it was my first time at this event, so was running blind on the course so to say ! I did start right at the back of the starting line up finished 251 out of 340 odd runners ! 29th in my age group, got to the 6 mile marker in 57 minutes.


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## Rossv4

Good effort, I'm 31 and started going running earlier this year with my dog as a way to keep fit and burn some of the dogs energy (staff X American bulldog)

I started by only doing 1.5miles and paces around 12mins a mile. Now I'm doing 3-4 runs a week all 2.5-3miles in around 20mins.

Also ran my 1st 10k a couple of weeks ago, not a proper race just out by myself and did it in 53mins and was well pleased.

RunKeeper app on my iPhone confirmed lol

Anyway keep it up, hope I can still do it when in in my 40s.


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## bill vts

Rossv4 said:


> Good effort, I'm 31 and started going running earlier this year with my dog as a way to keep fit and burn some of the dogs energy (staff X American bulldog)
> 
> I started by only doing 1.5miles and paces around 12mins a mile. Now I'm doing 3-4 runs a week all 2.5-3miles in around 20mins.
> 
> Also ran my 1st 10k a couple of weeks ago, not a proper race just out by myself and did it in 53mins and was well pleased.
> 
> RunKeeper app on my iPhone confirmed lol
> 
> Anyway keep it up, hope I can still do it when in in my 40s.


Thanks im getting faster lol not bad for someone who only took up running in april ! done the plymouth 10k today 59minutes 28 seconds well pleased with that ! Haven't run for over a week ! Was struggling a bit at 8k but carried on.


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## Guitarjon

It's suprising just how quickly you can improve in running. I managed to go from not being able to run a mile continuously to running a half marathon in about 7 months. Getting better is like a drug. I started to do it for fitness and weight loss (mainly fitness) but I very soon started to enjoy it and love it. I'd love to get back into it but I stopped after a car crash which messed me up a little. I've since tried but continuously get numb feet etc. (Had various physio And change shoes regulary). I feel like it's a bit of a non started now.


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## Rossv4

bill vts said:


> Thanks im getting faster lol not bad for someone who only took up running in april ! done the plymouth 10k today 59minutes 28 seconds well pleased with that ! Haven't run for over a week ! Was struggling a bit at 8k but carried on.


Great time, I started in June/July time and am now managing a 10k every Sunday evening.



Guitarjon said:


> It's suprising just how quickly you can improve in running. I managed to go from not being able to run a mile continuously to running a half marathon in about 7 months. Getting better is like a drug. I started to do it for fitness and weight loss (mainly fitness) but I very soon started to enjoy it and love it. I'd love to get back into it but I stopped after a car crash which messed me up a little. I've since tried but continuously get numb feet etc. (Had various physio And change shoes regulary). I feel like it's a bit of a non started now.


Yea about 6 months for me now, gone from a mile and a bit to regular 2.5milers and a 10k each week. Although I now seem to have hit a wall in times lol, sorry to hear about your crash, don't loose hope


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## 330CDT

Great effort. I started running last August for the first time ever and stopped in October due to loss of motivation/ dark and wet when home from work etc. I'm hoping to start again when the weather gets better. I never thought I would be capable of running a 10k etc but I did 1 event towards the end and loved it. 84th out of 200+ on a really hilly circuit I did a 52 minute run.

Best 10k I did after that (Not an event just running on my own) was 50 mins dead.

This was from being dead and out of breathe in 10 minutes, keeping up the practice and about 2/3 months of running. I was so pleased. I even ran 12 miles one day when i had a day off work. Absaloutely loved it!

Haven't ran since the 11th of October. Funny how your body comes and go's. Hopefully will again in 2016!!


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## bill vts

Been a while since ive updated on this well start of year i was hit with a illness took over month to get over it. Then had a pretty bad infection in a wound so running went out of the window from janaury to mid feb. Was down abit put on a stone in weight. Then went out for a run struggled for the first couple of weeks did a 10k run in a 63 minutes. I had already signed up for the north london half marathon this year. Not much training for and it was my first half marathon i ever did smashed a 2hr 19 minute time ! Was unlucky on the last hill my lace came undone almost tripped over it so had to stop on that hill which stuffed the time up abit could've had a 2hr 10 minute time lost so much time on the that last hill. Got to the saracens rugby ground bang on 59 minutes and was cruising oh well maybe my next half will go better !


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