Endrick Property
All of us here at Mulberry Bush Montessori Balfron 10k HQ know how hard it can be to train for a race, from a 10k right up to a marathon. It’s great to have someone to train with but getting advice from those in the know can be invaluable too.
For all you first-time 10k-ers out there, we have just the man, Step forward Central AC veteran runner and athletics coach David Eckersley. Over the next ten weeks, David will be offering up training ideas and advice for anyone taking those first steps towards our 10th anniversary event in April. He’ll also be giving an insider’s view on the route and how best to tackle it. So start reading, get your trainers on and enter the world of running.
Ok so you’ve done the easy bit and signed up for the Mulberry Bush Montessori Balfron 10k, now comes the harder bit…training for it.
But what you’ve already done is really important, you’ve signed up for our race and set yourself a target. Even before you’ve thought about pulling on your trainers that single act of committing yourself to an event has given you a structure and a focus for your 10k training.
Meeting targets not only aids your development as a runner but gives you confidence and motivation to keep going – especially on a rainy Monday night when you’d much rather sit on the sofa with the biscuit tin.
Remind yourself that running a 10k or 6.2 miles IS achievable…and within ten weeks. The 10k is a classic distance that covers all the bases – it’s far enough to test you to the the limit without leaving beginners totally shattered in a way that a longer event can. Yet it’s short enough to be doable in a satisfyingly quick time, even if you are new to it.
It requires fitness, preparation and tactical thinking and combines a mix of speed and endurance. The feeling of sprinting for the finish line is like no other and that, combined with a massive sense of achievement, is what pushes you on to do another…and another.
All of us runners out there had to start somewhere and that somewhere is slow and steady. Don’t rush to increase your speed or distance, give your body time to get used to what your asking it to do. It’s best to start with a few weeks of easy running and walking, For example try 30 minutes of fast walking with 5×1 minute easy running. Try this 3-4 times a week.
Remember you’ll have good days and bad. Even the world’s elite runners have tough running days. If you’re having a rough day slow the pace and get through it. The good workouts will build confidence and the ‘When can I stop’ ones will develop mental strength. This combination keeps up the momentum and get you several steps nearer your goal.
*Good luck with your running preparation and next week we will look at training in more detail as well as those all-important shoes.
