On the fence about entering your first 10K? Here are 9 things to persuade you!
#1 Push Past The 5K Comfort Zone
If you’ve cracked the 30-minute mark, you need a new goal. Even if you’ve completed a 5K, you might want a new challenge. Don’t get stuck in your 5K comfort zone. Enter a 10K and extend your goals to increase your distance, fitness, and endurance. Bonus: your 5K time will get faster along the way!
#2 10K Training Isn’t Exhausting
Well, not compared to half marathon training! The great thing about training for a 10K is that you can increase your pace and push yourself on different terrains without feeling sore for days. Whereas half marathon and marathon training demands very long runs, most 10K training is over in less than an hour. The rest days and recovery runs programmed into your 10K training plan will keep you fresh.
#3 10K Races Really Don’t Take Long
Most local 10K races start at 9am. Imagine being home, showered, and enjoying a cuppa by 11am, with your 10K finishers medal next to you! Yes, you really can do a running race and have most of the day left to spend with the family. You can’t say the same for a marathon!
#4 It’s A Great Way To Monitor Your Progress
It’s a good idea to run 10K races even if your A-goal is a half marathon or marathon. You’ll get an accurate measurement of your pace over a measured course. And it gives you the opportunity to try out race strategies like pacing, negative splits, and race-day nutrition.
#5 Training Is A Challenge… But It Won’t Take Over
Marathon training is an epic undertaking which can eat up entire days at the weekend. But 10K training – even your longest runs – won’t take over your life. At most, you’ll be running 4-5 times per week with your longest run around 75 minutes, faster runners less than that. 10K training is rewarding but leaves plenty of time for other things in life!
#6 Get Fitter & Slimmer
Not everyone runs to manage their weight, but if you do want to be healthier and lighter, training for a 10K will definitely help! The increased time on your feet will naturally mean you burn more calories every week, which will help you manage your weight or even lose a few pounds.
#7 Recovery From 10K Is Fast
There’s a reason people don’t race several marathons a year. You just can’t recover from it. But you can recover pretty quickly from a 10K race. So if you want to run 10Ks in different cities, or if you just can’t choose between races in the calendar, do them all! The 10K distance makes it possible.
#8 A Half Marathon Won’t Seem So Daunting
Once you’ve completed a 10K training programme and finished the race, longer distances won’t seem so out of reach. 10K is a stepping stone towards a half marathon or even a full marathon – if that’s your goal!
#9 There’s A 10K Near You
It’s unlikely that you’ll have a marathon or a specialist event (like obstacle course races) in your home town. But 10K races are so popular that there’s probably one within a few miles…or even within warm-up jogging distance! And there’s something really special about running a local race.
Enter nowfor the Windsor Womens 10k Satuday 23rd September 2023
Similar Posts:
- 9 Reasons You Should Run A 10K
- Training Tips For Your First 10km Race
- Nine Things To Do Before Your Half Marathon
- How To Run Negative Splits In Your Next Race
- What’s The Ideal Weekly Combination Of Training Runs?
- How To Know If 10K Is Right For You
Tags: 10k, beginner, exercise, running for beginners, Training
