There are dozens of good reasons why this distance is great not to mention the sense of achievement. 10 km at a steady pace will take about an hour and is a good distance to say that you “can do”. It is far enough that you have to put some effort in but short enough that it does not de-motivate you!
Reduce Belly Fat
let’s face it most of us exercise because we want to burn calories and after looking at the “runner’s world” running calculator:
I found out that running at 10k at a 1 hour pace I would burn around 880 calories at my weight of 85 kg, if you are 65 kg this is about 670. Once you are up to doing 3 runs a week this can really help with creating your calorie deficit. Still the only way I know how to lose weight and not to mention loosing belly fat.
It’s Free
Its free and you can do it anywhere! All you need is a pair of decent trainers and you can train anywhere at anytime, whether you are travelling for work, holiday or any other reason. Having the ability to do it anywhere will really help you with your exercise consistency.
Time
Time is not an issue as you are not beholden to a gym opening time, you can run at anytime and if you have showers at work you could maybe fit it into a lunch break! (at a squeeze).
Heath Benefits
And above all else running is great for your heart and lungs. Sitting at a desk all day is not really going to put much of a strain on your Cardiovascular system and in fitness we have a saying “use it or lose it”.
HOW TO DO IT!
So after spending 10 seconds typing into google how to run a 10k there are literally 1000’s of amazing training plans! Here’s the google page counter: About 9,820,000 results (0.81 seconds) !
- I think if you are just starting out some of these can be daunting.
- Keep It Simple
- There’s all this talk of tempo runs, pace runs and long slow runs!
- My suggestion is to just think about completing it!!!!!!
Get out stick your trainers on and go for a jog, start at a nice slow pace.Don’t worry that you might not be going as fast as others it really does not matter! If I judged my golf alongside that of Rory Mcilroy I would have given up a long time ago.
Use trackers
See how far you can run the first time and you can use apps like Map My Run which is available on your phone. There are loads of other apps and they are not too technical to use, I say this with confidence as I am not all that tech-literate!
Another amazing app is the “couch to 10k” it literally talks you through your training session! Use all the help you can and whatever works for you. I think these are useful tools as you can see that you have progressed in distance and/or speed. I like to see that I am moving forwards as it motivates me!
Just Do It
If you get 15 mins in and have to stop and walk for a while do it. Slow yourself down, let your breathing and heart rate come back to normal and then when you are ready maybe start your jog again. Continue this as needed. Over time you will run for longer without needing a rest. I’d recommend doing the same route initially as you can run past where you had to stop last time you can use visual marker posts to see your progress!
Always do a little bit more each time!
Get support
Motivation comes in many forms and is different for different people. Some people love a bit of competition so I would suggest finding a friend who is up for a bit of a challenge and use competition to push both of you or even in a small group.
For others the very thought of competing sends shivers up their spine and maybe running for a charity that means something to you may be a better option this is great as there will be lots of others who are not looking to do it as quick as possible!
Use A Training Calendar
look at your diary and or print out a month’s calendar, write down which days you are going to do your run and try as best as you can to stick to it! Always have a day’s rest after you have run. Letting your body recover will mean it adapts better to the training you are giving it.
Feed your Body
Eating a decent meal that contains a good portion of protein and carbs after a run will also help your body to recover better. Food and rest = recovery!
Pain No Gain
If you start to notice a continual “niggle” go and see a physio about it. Long continuous exercise and lots of volume especially the initial shock can easily cause some overuse injuries. Running is essentially a repetitive strain on your system and as such can cause problems. If you notice something see someone straight away. Leaving it can give a problem time to really “set in” deal with it sooner and you can get back to your training without too much stress! You only have one body respect it!
