5K is often the distance people start working on when they begin running.
We love couch to 5k and I've seen so many runners take up a love of running
through the program.
But what happens when you've knocked off some seconds off your 5k time,
or even some minutes and run too many parkruns to count?
You might just start thinking about the next distance up on the ladder.
Hi, I'm Kate and today, along with Rick,
we're going to be talking you through how to step up from 5k to 10k.
We'll be tackling everything
you need to step up the distance from training to hydration, to mindset.
And stay tuned for a top secret running tip from Kate, right at the end. But first,
if you are new around here, we would love it if you subscribe.
So hit subscribe, tap on the bell icon and you'll get notified
when we upload new videos all about running, which we do every single week.
So you might've only done the one 5k,
but be ready to step up in distance or you might've done loads of 5k's and
just be looking for a new challenge. Whatever it is,
it's important to set yourself a goal or an end point.
So that might be entering a 10k race,
or it might be choosing a date on which you're going to go out and do a time trial.
Either way, you need to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for the challenge.
You're looking at perhaps 8 to 10 weeks.
Also consider it your specific goal for the 10k itself.
Is it just to complete the distance or do you have an actual time in mind?
Whatever your specific goal is,
that's going to affect the type and intensity of training that you do.
When you step up from 5k to 10k you are obviously doubling the total distance.
So when you are thinking about your goal,
do you remember that doubling your 5k PB will be a really hard one to reach,
but it does depend on how much training you do.
So let's take a look at some specific training tips that will help you achieve your goal.
It might sound strange to talk about this before we even talk about training,
but it's something that's really important. Rest and recovery.
While you were training for your 5k,
you might not have even thought about recovery and rest in between runs,
but when it comes to the 10k distance it's key.
Make sure you leave some time to both warm up and cool down before the main bit
of your run. Warming up helps get the muscles ready and gets you ready for the training
you're about to do, where cooling down helps to get your heart rate down,
get your breathing back to normal and gets the muscles ready to go into that
recovery phase.
Cooling down also gives you a chance to reflect on the work you've just done and
the training that you'd like to do in your next session.
If you're not sure how to warm up or cool down properly,
then check out our videos on what to do before and after every run.
When you're looking at your training plan,
make sure you consider the rest periods between each workout or run.
It's a good idea to have a rest day,
perhaps after a longer run or an intense effort,
and this will let your body rest recover and adapt to the training.
If you look at most 10k training plans,
there'll be a long run at the end of the week, usually on a Sunday.
Now that's also the case for training plans for longer races.
So if your longterm goal is to build up to a half marathon or perhaps even a
marathon, it's great practice for that.
With 10k training, it might be worth considering basing your long run on time,
spent running rather than distance covered, and slowly build up the time you're
out and therefore your mileage as well. As a general rule,
it's not worth doing more than an extra 10 to 15% of running
each week. This way,
it won't come as a shock to the system and it will also help to prevent injuries.
Overall, aim for a target of 60 to 70 minutes.
So the long run is more about training your body to run for an extended period
of time, rather than a specific pace. So for these runs go out an easy pace.
And what we mean by that is a pace that feels comfortable and that you could
have a full conversation at not just one or two muttered words.
If you're working towards a specific time for your 10k,
then you might want to add in some training sessions that will help increase
your speed, such as interval training.
So interval training simply means different intervals of running.
And if you've crunched the numbers and you've worked out what your target pace is,
then that's the pace you should be aiming to run for for those intervals.
Or you could go for shorter ones and try to go faster than that pace.
What this will do is get your body used to running at this pace and also used to
judging what kind of pace you're going at.
It can be as simple as running at your target pace for a minute,
then jogging for a minute and then repeating, and gradually building up as you
get more confident.
Then, you can move those one minute efforts into a longer sustained workout.
Or you could throw in some strides after an easy run,
that's a bit of a self interval workout.
Just run for 20 to 30 seconds at about 80 to 90% of your top pace
and jog and walk in between and repeat about four times.
If you're looking for some more detailed sessions,
do check out our video with three great ways to improve your 10k time.
Most 10k training plans include three or four runs a week
and the rest is recovery days. Training sessions could include one long run,
one interval session,
and then one or two easy or steady runs depending on how you're feeling.
Then on the recovery days,
you can either take them completely off or cross train with something like
cycling or swimming.
Another idea is to add some mobility exercise into your rest days.
Something like yoga or pilates. And actually building core strength is a great
idea as it'll help you to maintain your form when you're running longer distances.
As we go up and distance hydration becomes increasingly important.
At 5k races you might not have had to bring anything with you, but for 10k,
depending on your target pace,
and also the amount of time you're going to be running for,
it might be that you want to bring some water. During the races themselves,
there should be water station at the 5k mark, so that you can rehydrate.
As we always say, though, nothing new on race day.
So even if you're just planning to use the water from the aid stations on
route, it's a really good idea to take some water with you on a run,
just to practice drinking on the move and see how it feels.
But if you want some more tips on hydration,
don't forget to check out our video on exactly that.
Another really important factor is your mindset.
This might well be the furthest that you've ever run for or the longest that
you've ever run for.
And you might start to doubt that if you're really up to that challenge.
Well don't worry. Everybody might have a run they can't complete,
or you might have a training session that just goes not so well.
Just try to take each training session as it comes.
If you are struggling with your mindset,
it's worth looking for some good coping strategies.
Such as a motivational mantra, a power playlist,
or your favourite podcast to help motivate you. Use your time spent training,
to find out what works for you. If you get a wobble during a race,
and don't be afraid to lean on friends and running groups,
if you can. Shared experiences are very powerful.
And if you need more tips on mindset, then we've got a video on that too.
Finally, a word on race day itself.
Whether you've entered a race or you're doing it as a time trial by yourself,
just try to relax. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and try to enjoy it.
Nothing new on race day remember. Even if it's a solo challenge,
just to complete the distance. Stick to what you've done in training.
So the same trainers, the same breakfast, meals and a sensible pace.
And there's no reason you can't complete your goals.
But, before we forget, I did promise you a secret tip or a helpful one at least.
And that is, do not be tempted to go out too fast to try and bank time.
You might feel that if you start off faster than you planned,
you can bank that time for later when you're not feeling so fresh.
Unfortunately, that strategy very rarely works.
You're much better off starting off a little behind your schedule
pace and picking up,
than you are going out too fast and having to slow down rather dramatically.
So how are you feeling about tackling 10k? Let us know in the comments below as
well as what targets you're setting yourself and we'll see you next time,
here on The Running Channel.