I started a 10K training plan from Women's Running 11 weeks ago. Here's a shot of my paper version with all my workouts checked off. I shuffled some things around but only missed a single workout (due to heel pain).
I really liked this training plan and learned some valuable things:
- Running 5 days a week. I was previously running 4 days a week. This plan showed me how I could fit in runs on 5 days plus do strength training and yoga. I think this is a good balance for me and want to continue this basic regimen.
- Finishing strong. Several of the long runs called for a strong finish, where I increased my pace by 30-45 seconds/mile for the last 10 minutes of the run. Speeding up at the end of a long run when my legs aren't fresh is a skill I'll be able to use in all races.
- Sustaining an uncomfortably hard pace. My "tempo runs"--in quotes because it wasn't really a tempo run as I mentioned earlier this week--involved running at a near-5K pace for a progressively longer distance. The only times I've done that before are during races, so this was a good practice for me.
- Running negative splits. For the tempo runs at longer distances, it was too difficult to keep that near-5K pace for the entire time, so I would run each mile progressively faster until I was running the last mile at near-5K pace. Again, running each mile progressively faster is a skill I hope to incorporate in not only in my Sunday race but all future races.
- Fueling appropriately. Before this training, I assumed I only needed to consider fueling on very long runs. But because I run first thing in the morning before I eat, when my blood sugar levels are at their lowest, I can get depleted quickly--and even got really sick one morning. And even when I started fueling before my run, I learned I get depleted quickly during very hard workouts. To be successful at my 10K race, I know I'll have to take an energy gel both before and halfway through.
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