Your first 10K

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Would anybody be willing to share you experience when you ran/raced your first 10K?

Like, your time, for instance? Was it worse to run it "under pressure of a race setting? How did your casual time compare to your event finish?
Anything you care to share.

There's one locally in a little over a month and I want to do it, but I highly gunshy.
Would appreciate any stories.

[sewaneecook]

I've never done a 10K, I went straight from a 5K to a half marathon. For me a race is sooo much more fun than running on my own. There are people lining the streets cheering, there are other runners to keep you motivated, and races are just plain fun. I'm quite a competitive person, but my sister isn't and she finds races to be fun too. I'd say sign up for it and see how you like it.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Yay! I got a response! I thought my post was just gonna die!

Wow, that's awesome! Going straight to a HM scares me.
Do you mind me asking your stats for the race?

Was it hard to bridge from a 5K up to a half?

See, I've run several 5Ks with large informal groups, but not really in a race setting. I'd like to set a goal for a HM (probably LATE spring cause winter training is tough for me {hate the cold}), but wanted to go through an offical race setting first so I figured an upcoming 10K would suit that.

Do you have any "race day" suggestions?



Do you plan/want to do a full now that you've completed a HM?
I can see this getting addicting. I'm already looking forward training for a HM!!
It's hard not to push myself way beyond where I need to train right now.

[bec]

I love races! I have only run one 10k, but have done a ton of 5ks, 4 half marathons, and a full marathon. Oh, and an indoor triathlon and a sprint tri. It is so much fun! Way better than even a group run. I am pretty slow. My PR for 5k is 28:16, for half marathon it's 2:17, and the one 10k I did in 64 minutes (I can't remember the seconds).

Race day recommendations:

~ Nothing new! No new clothes (this means you get to wear the race shirt AFTER the race, not before), no new shoes, no new food. The last thing you want is to find out that there is a scratchy tag, or that that new "power breakfast" doesn't sit well with running.

~ Train how you are going to race (this sort of goes hand in hand with the nothing new rule). If you are planning on using fuel of some sort (gels, shot blocks, sport drink or some sort of thing), train with them. It took me a while to find the right combination of Gatorade and fuel to help my running while keeping my gut happy.

~ Get to the race early. You don't want to be stressing about finding parking, the start line, going to the bathroom before the race, warming up so make sure you have plenty of time. I like to be parking for my races at least a half hour and sometimes longer before the race starts.

~ Find a pace group. Some races have pace groups for people with various time goals. This was really helpful for me with my marathon! If there isn't an official pace group, ask around, and see if you can find a group of runners with similar time goals. It's nice to have someone to chat with while running, anyway!

~ If you don't have a pace group, make sure you don't go out too fast. You don't think that you will, but, it is really, really hard to hold back when the shot goes off. All the excitement, adrenaline, nerves, and atmosphere are hard to overcome. Yes, you will be passed in the beginning. But, you will see, after the first half mile, you will start passing those people as they have worn themselves out and you are still fresh and just warming up!

~ In my longer races, I walk through water stations. In a 5k, I don't usually stop. In a 10k, I think it would depend on the day and the heat. I might do every other water station.

~ Remember to have fun! Smile for the photographers that are on the side of the road, slap hands for the little kids that hold their hands out, and enjoy the energy! There is nothing in this world like crossing that finish line!

[Penelope]

I was pretty under-trained for my first 10K, and it still went fine. I'd pick a smallish race, or one where you've heard it's well-organized, to keep from getting overwhelmed. Your local running store/group can advise you.

It's a nice distance, the 10K. 5Ks feel pretty short to me, and everybody seems to sprint, but I'm kind of slow. So I actually prefer half-marathons, since I get a nice run in and I'm usually really pleased with myself afterwards.

Go for it - it'll be fun!

[lab]

I love 10ks!!!!

My first 10k I had no idea what my pace was or what to expect. My first 10k was my first race ever....

I finished in 53 and something minutes with an average speed of 8:42. My last 10k was 47:30 and the next one I do in October should be around 45 minutes.

Like a pp said - the 5k is just too short - and people do tend to sprint them. I like to race for speed - so if want to be competive in my age group, I do the 10k.

I was so nervous before my first race. I was afraid I was gonna be last!

So before a race - I eat clean about 2 or 3 days before and especially the night before. The morning of the race I give myself at least an hour before I leave the house. I eat a banana first thing when I get up and I drink a sip or two coffee to get my system moving (if you know what I mean!! ). I drink a little water. Just a couple of ounces. I eat a banana on the way to the race in the car and might have a little more water. I probably get a little freaky about the water - I have a tiny little bladder and pee constantly - so I don't want to worry about that while I'm running.

I have someone usually with me who isn't running to hold my stuff at the start (extra clothes water etc).

Your race time will be faster than you normally run. Just because of the adrenaline and excitement of the race. Before I ran my first 10k - I would do one long run per week that was longer than my race distance. I picked 8 miles.

That's all can think of now....

Good luck!

[HappilyEvrAfter]

bec- Wow! Awesome. Thanks for all the tips…exactly what I needed!
I’m actually a little wary of all the “attention”. Lol. That’s the part that kind of makes me cringe, but I might surprise myself by enjoying it in a race setting. We’ll see. I am looking forward to having some fun with it.
Those are some pretty good times! I’m in awe of anyone that does HM and marathons!
If you think of anything else, please let me know!!! Thanks!!

Penelope- Yeah, 5Ks are a weird distance to me. I’m certainly a long distance lover. I know I’m just in the midst of getting geared up, but right now I’m totally in love with the 10K. Maybe by this time next year my new love will be the HM.
I’m gonna a REALLY local 10K race…meaning it’s just on our base for federal ID card holders…might be about 150 people.
Thanks!!

Lab- Yeah, I’m really afraid I’m gonna be last…there are some pretty hard core runners around here. Even so, I’m still gonna do it.
Thanks for your tips too! I really hate “the unknown” so anything to help is fantastic.

Luckily the starting line for the race in Oct is only about 0.75m from my front door so I’ll probably jog there as a warmup and only take what I’m gonna run with.

You guys have me really excited now!!
I ran a 10K this past weekend in 54 mins. That was at a good pace for me. I think it might have been because it was a trail I’d never been on before so I didn’t really know what the end looked like…that helped.

Can any of you recommend a good training program? Or do you just put together your own based on your schedule?
I was told that the Hal Higdon program is good. What do you think?
I’d like a program I cam progress with and I’m no good with making up my own…I need something that is already laid out that I’ll only have to tweak minorly based on my work/mom schedule.

Thanks again, you guys!! I wanna be a marathoner too when I grow up!!!

[bec]

I have followed Hal Higdon's half and full marathon training schedules and really liked them. I also liked Runner's World's Smart Coach 10k schedule. Have a blast!!!

[sewaneecook]

Lots of questions! I enjoy talking with eager runners!! I put your questions in blue and my answers below them:

Wow, that's awesome! Going straight to a HM scares me.
Do you mind me asking your stats for the race?

Was it hard to bridge from a 5K up to a half?
My 5K time was around 25 minutes (it was a small race and that was my watch time, not an official time). My first half was easy for the training, but the race was difficult because the last couple weeks before the race I injured my knee (overtraining maybe?). Since I had paid the entry fee, I ran, but any incline was walked because it hurt too much to run (I think my time was around 2:25). I've always been an athlete (competitive swimmer through college) and endurance has been my strength, I really found my groove in the 2nd half marathon I ran this past year, 5 years and 2 kids after my first (and the first race I did since the 1st half!) and I was smarter with my training and self care. For training plans I did a search online and found a plan that gave me enough mileage to finish (which was my only goal) without so much mileage that I would get injured. I also went to the chiropractor regularly to prevent injury (my chiro fixed my knee issue, and she's prevented it from being re-injured). My 2nd half time was 2:00.53 (I think I could have broken the 2 hour mark had I not stopped to pee!).

Do you have any "race day" suggestions?
Bec covered a lot of the great race suggestions! Definitely have fun, it makes the race seem much shorter.

Do you plan/want to do a full now that you've completed a HM?
Yep, I'm running a full marathon in October. I have a 20 mile training run this weekend that I'm both looking forward to and quite nervous about! However, I will never train for a race this long over the summer, the heat/humidity has been brutal!

I can see this getting addicting. I'm already looking forward training for a HM!!
It's hard not to push myself way beyond where I need to train right now
Yes, it is definitely addicting! Sticking with a set training schedule will help keep you focused and on track for your goal.

Don't be afraid of being last, there are walkers too! If you ran a 10K in 54 minutes, you definitely won't be last, that's not a time to scoff at. One shirt I saw in a race that cracked me up said: "Dear God, please let there be someone behind me to read this!"

[lab]

sewaneecook - I love that shirt!!! I need to get one of those - it is a fun,humble shirt! I do enjoy reading everyone's shirts at races.
I love shirts that having fun sayings on them! My son runs cross country (all my kids run xc) and he has a shirt that says:

To catch me you gotta good
To stay with me you gotta be fast
To pass me, you've got to be kidding!

He never wears it because he thinks it's obnoxious. But I love it. He also has one that says

Cross Country
Est. 188,000 BC

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Originally Posted by sewaneecook

Don't be afraid of being last, there are walkers too! If you ran a 10K in 54 minutes, you definitely won't be last, that's not a time to scoff at. One shirt I saw in a race that cracked me up said: "Dear God, please let there be someone behind me to read this!"

Sorry, I'm supposed to be working on a work project so I only have a sec to post, but I just wanted to say that shirt if GREAT!!!

TTFN!

[*jacksmama*]

I'm jumping in super late and that bugs the crap out of some people so sorry.

How did the race go?  Did you accomplish your goals?

I ran my first 10k 10/31/2010.  I'm 31 and hadn't done any running since soccer practice in high school.  About 3 weeks before the event, my younger sister and I decided that we would run it in honor of our 28 yo brother who passed away 11 months ago (brain cancer).  We started running 2 miles a day and that's about as far as we got before race day.  Our goal was to run all of it even if our pace was more like a walkers (my brother never gave up his fight against cancer, even the last secs of his life).  We ended up running the whole thing, minus a beast of a hill that everyone walked.  We ran all the other hills and held hands, crying, across the finish line.  Everyone finds inspiration during the race- ours was our brother.  He glided us straight across that line.

I hope you enjoyed it and will try another one.  I will try one, but I don't anticipate because it as easy as this one was.  I was cruising on some serious adrenaline.