You've Entered a 10k. Now What?

You signed up in a moment of optimism, probably out for dinner one night, and it's in six or eight weeks. You train two or three times a week already and you're reasonably fit, so the assumption is that you'll be fine.

You probably will be, on the day. The risk is the six weeks in between.

Aerobic fitness transfers across everything. If you've been doing hard classes, your heart and lungs are already able to do a 10k. What doesn't transfer as well is tissue tolerance — your calves, Achilles tendons, shins and knees have adapted to the amount of running you've been doing, which is probably not very much. Tendon and bone adapt much more slowly than the engine does. So the fit person who suddenly runs four times a week feels great for ten days and then develops something in the feet, shins or ankles.

These are load errors rather than technique errors, which makes most of them avoidable.

The six weeks. Three runs a week, maximum, and keep two classes.

One easy run, 30 to 40 minutes, at a pace where you could hold a conversation. This is most of your running and it should feel almost too slow.

One interval session: six rounds of 3:00 at the effort you think you can hold for 10k, 3:00 easy jog between. This teaches pace, which is what most first-timers get wrong.

One longer run, starting at whatever you can comfortably do now and adding no more than 10% a week. If your longest run is 5k, next week is 5.5k, not 8k.

Drop one metcon a week to make room. Keep the strength work — it's protective for runners and it's often the first thing people cut.

Two things people neglect. Run on varied surfaces rather than only pavement — the Chiltern footpaths are softer and the undulation does your ankles a favour. And check your shoes; anything over about 700km has lost most of its cushioning, and Strava will tell you the mileage if you've been logging it. Remember though, anything new — road surface or shoes — needs breaking in slowly. Don't go big in the first week when you're bringing in new elements.

Race morning: eat something you've eaten before a run at least twice, two to three hours ahead, and drink about 500ml of water in that window. Nothing new on the day. The number of first 10ks derailed by an unfamiliar gel is higher than it should be!

Last week: halve the volume, keep one short interval session so you don't feel flat, and don't test yourself.

Strength work is what keeps runners running. Free, no-obligation 15-minute chat with Jeremy or Beth at crossfitchiltern.com.