Advice for first race

1 watcher

Revbarbarag May 2013 12:51pm, 12 May 2013 13 posts	0 Revbarbarag I run my first 10K next Saturday (trailblazer at Clumber Patk), having only been running regularly since Easter. I did have a 15-month base of weight training and some non-impact cardio behind me before I started running, during which time I lost over 7 stone. But I'm still overweight (BMI 31), have only recently upped to running 3 times a week (taking it gently as I have a history of knee pain), and my longest run to date is 5.25 miles, with walk breaks. My aim for Saturday is to get round comfortably (i.e. feel human a the end), and I'd like to get round in 1:15. I'm sharing my training log, so you can see exactly what I've been up to. The race is on trails, and undulating, but then so is the area where I do most of running (except for the Parkrun course, which is flat). My current plan is: run about 3 miles hilly tomorrow, 30 mins swimming laps on Tuesday, 3 miles easy flattish running on Wednesday, 30 mins gentle swimming on Thursday, nothin more than a gentle walk on Friday, race Saturday. Is that reasonable, do you think? Or should I lay off running sooner? I did a very long walk (14 miles) on Monday, which I was definitely still feeling on Thursday, and possibly to some extent yesterday. Input spprciated.
geordiegirl May 2013 1:20pm, 12 May 2013 6,487 posts	0 geordiegirl Hi there, my thoughts for what they are worth is that your plan looks good to me, you have ran to 5.25 miles so you'll do the distance no problem and if you need to incorporate walk breaks thats fine and dandy. If you think you will be too tired after your weeks activity then do it at a steadier pace but I would say keep moving (for me that works best anyway) Good luck on your race, my manager who is not a runner and is overweight started training between Xmas & New Year and ran her 1st and only race, a 10k, mid February. She ran it all at a steady pace and came in around 1h 20m I think. Her only other exercise has been walking and occasional bike rides so I am sure you will be fine. Well done on the fabulous weight loss too and welcome to Fetch.
jono May 2013 1:26pm, 12 May 2013 12,042 posts	0 jono enjoy it Revbarbarang and don't worry what everyone else is doing
Old Croc May 2013 1:31pm, 12 May 2013 23,390 posts	0 Old Croc top tip for first race = ENJOY - and it is the last / only time you are guaranteed a PB at that distance!
Robbo62 May 2013 2:06pm, 12 May 2013 2,134 posts	0 Robbo62 Golden rule of race day is not to do anything new. Enjoy it and watch yourself get hooked.
Revbarbarag May 2013 9:34pm, 12 May 2013 17 posts	0 Revbarbarag I've been having a look at the training groups. Initially I was worried, because people who have run a 10K in 1:16 (I'm hoping for 1:15) have done rather more miles than me in the weeks leading up to the race, as well as running more frequently than me. But here's their thing - their pace in training has averaged over 14 min/mile, whereas to hit the time target you need to run about 12 min/mile, which is roughly what I've been doing in training. Well apart from the post-long-walk-my-legs-are-still-tired runs, and the hilly one. I'd imagined that I'd do the race at broadly the same pace as I train at.... with the possibility of a bit of a push over the last half mile or so. But do people really go 2 mins/mile faster on race day, than in training?
Mykey May 2013 9:59pm, 12 May 2013 1,671 posts	0 Mykey Looking back my first 10k was @ 9:15mm while avg training pace was 12:22mm so yes they could go 2min/mile faster on the day. But so can you
Revbarbarag May 2013 10:13pm, 12 May 2013 19 posts	0 Revbarbarag How did you feel afterwards? I want to enjoy it... and I want to do it well.... and I don't want to be a physical wreck afterwards.
Dvorak May 2013 10:14pm, 12 May 2013 6,915 posts	0 Dvorak Plan looks alright. Faster Q: yes. Race day advice: start at or near the back; don't go off too fast (most people will, don't chase them); if you feel that you need to walk a bit, walk it, especially if you have started too fast (you will ;-)). Oh, someone mentioned enjoy it already
Revbarbarag May 2013 11:08pm, 12 May 2013 20 posts	0 Revbarbarag It's a wave start - I'm in the slowest wave. So if I start and stay at the back, and try not to get ahead of 12 min/mile pace until we've been going a mile or so, I should be OK. And have fun - check