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Fitness Tips

Ready, Set, Start!: A Guide To Your Own 10k running plan

These days, it seems like there’s a 5k or 10k for everything. Charities, medical groups, and small businesses have been hosting them for years as a way to raise funds and awareness for certain causes.

But, running has become something to do for entertainment, too! Between color runs, blacklight night runs, Disney marathons, extreme courses, and more, the experience isn’t just about putting one foot in front of the other anymore.

You should still train for any kind of 5k or 10k though. The following are three basic rules to keep in mind when forming your 10k running plan.

Pace Yourself

Whether you’ve been running for years or you’re using the race as an excuse to start training, you have to pace yourself. Your running times won’t always be faster than the day before.

Some days running is going to feel natural and easy, while other days it’s going to be the last thing you want to do, and you’ll end up with a time that reflects that. Still, training is about consistency.

It’s about showing up every day to do your run or your weight session with your goal in mind and being patient with yourself every step of the way.

Don’t Focus on Only Running

That’s right – you’re going to need to do weight training to have a well-rounded 10k running plan. Running alone can only do so much.

Whether you’re on a treadmill or an outdoor track, you’re building endurance and focusing on your breath, pushing your body one step further, literally. When you’re doing curls or squats, though, you’re building a different kind of strength that’s just as valuable.

Adding weights to your race training complements what you do when you run. It builds into your overall level of stamina and strength on the official course.

Watch What You Eat

Just as you need to make an effort to be in the gym as well as outside running, you should be mindful of what you do in the kitchen, too. You can’t expect to run a good race if all you’ve been eating during training is burgers and pizzas.

This doesn’t mean you have to go on a strict diet, either. The trick is to find a balance in your meals, like trying the 80/20 rule or using portion control to enjoy everything you like. These are two simple, effective ways to improve your diet while you’re training and your lifestyle in general.

Pay special attention to what you eat right before and immediately following training sessions. You may even want to look into race-day athletic gummies or gels to keep you going on the course.

Take Your 10K Running Plan to the Next Level

Ready to see how great of a runner you can really be? Use the rules above to put together all the details of your 10k running plan and you’ll be in great shape.

At the end of the day, how well you do on the course depends on how disciplined you are when preparing. For more ways to train smart, click here.