10k race in 100 days. HELP.
March 26, 2012 10:11 AM   Subscribe

Won a place in the Peachtree Roadrace (10k). Now what?

It is March 26, and the race is July 4. This gives me 3 months, 1 week, and 2 days or 100 days to make sure I don't injure myself.

I'm a 5'11" and 225 lbs 42 year old male. I know my BMI indicates I am obese (and I know BMI isn't all that and a bag of chips).

At the gym I have been working mostly on the treadmill lately, and now can run 5 miles in an hour with zero additional incline.

I've used couch to 5k in the past and ran a 5k in 30 minutes about 2 years ago.

Should I continue at the gym with the treadmill, or go outside from now on? Any amazing training tips? Any tips to making couch to 10k better? What kind of time should I be proud of?

I have the finest running shoes I've ever owned (ASICS). I'm so-so with technology, I have a pretty mediocre Android phone.
posted by Classic Diner to Health & Fitness (12 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Run outside! It's noticeably different than a treadmill and you need to adapt to it.

There's a couch-to-10k program that should give you an idea of what the training schedule might look like. I've run a 10k with no special prep beyond just being able to comfortably run a 5k, though, and came in at about an hour (walking up all the hills.) I wouldn't stress too terribly much about it, just keep running.
posted by restless_nomad at 10:14 AM on March 26, 2012


Go outside, for sure. The race is going to be HOT, you'll want to get used to it.

I did the Couch to 10k program a few years ago, and it's great.

You should be proud of any time that has you finishing.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:22 AM on March 26, 2012


Ideally, you'd contact a running coach and describe your current fitness level, goal, amount of time until the race, and available training time. Or you can do exactly that on this site. It will spit back a day-by-day training plan. Even if you don't stick to it exactly, it's a nice roadmap.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:23 AM on March 26, 2012


Yay!!! It is a very coveted ticket to get...and it goes about 200 yards from my house. I'll be cheering you on!!! Congrats!!! You can do it!!
posted by pearlybob at 10:42 AM on March 26, 2012


I've done this plan before and really found it helpful!
posted by caoimhe at 10:59 AM on March 26, 2012


I'm not sure where you are in the city, but Fleet Feet in Decatur has Couch to 5k classes, and most likely has training schedules set up specifically with the Peachtree Road Race in mind. My experience there (limited though it may be) has all been very positive. I'd guess that even if they're not conveniently located for you, they could point you towards some running groups that are.
posted by duien at 11:06 AM on March 26, 2012


I've run the Peachtree a couple of times. Be prepared for hills, especially Heart Attack Hill (Peachtree St. near Piedmont Hospital, conveniently.) They hold the race early in the morning, and I don't remember it being stifling hot, but it's not impossible.

Start running outside because it's a very different experience from running on a treadmill. Find an area of rolling hills to practice. Atlanta is in the piedmont, so gentle up-and-down is the name of the game. Don't be afraid to walk if you need to during the race. I guarantee you won't be the only one.

You might consider trying to bring your weight down because this makes all exercise easier. Most people have good luck with minimal misery by reducing or eliminating white foods (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sugar.) Obviously, if you have any health concerns you should talk to a doctor before modifying your diet or beginning an exercise regimen.

Lastly, I suggest reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Leaving aside his argument for barefoot running (I love it but it's not right for everyone), it is the most inspiring thing I have ever read about running. Did you know that human beings can chase down large game animals? It's called persistence hunting, and you'll read about that and ultrarunners (100 miles at 10,000 feet altitude) and how to keep a smile on your face while you run. Because if you're not enjoying it, why are you doing it?
posted by workerant at 11:20 AM on March 26, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks for the tips. I'll be running outside from now on. Tonight, rather than watch another re-run of 30 Rock, I'll get my phone to play nice with a C210k program. I am in Athens, GA (a little too far for a regular class in Atlanta). I'm borrowing the "Born to Run" book. If the admins leave the question open until after the race, I'll post an update with my time.
posted by Classic Diner at 12:21 PM on March 26, 2012


I can run a LOT differently on a treadmill than on the road. I do all my training on the road now because it's such a different experience.

I use RunKeeper on my iPhone to track my runs. It has fitness classes you can buy built into the app to help you train. I was doing a 10k one for awhile but switched to a half marathon one recently. I started running on the couch-to-5k plan, so that's a good start.

does the race have a time limit? if it isn't a very fast pace, then you're ok as long as you can walk quickly between your running moments. I use a run-walk method much like Jeff Galloway promotes, so that's something you can also look into that might help.

Good luck!!!
posted by itsacover at 3:53 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


If the admins leave the question open until after the race, I'll post an update with my time.

Classic Diner, AskMe questions are typically left open for a year once posted. You should have no problem updating this post in July--definitely let us know what worked for you!

As for the actual question, yes I definitely suggest going outside and getting used to the humidity well before the race (gyms have such lovely, lovely air conditioning).

Also, watch out for chafing! If you are overweight/obese (and even if you're not), chafing/blisters might be a problem for you even if they hasn't been at smaller distances. If you do experience chafing or blisters, there are products out there (like BodyGlide) which can help.
posted by librarylis at 7:00 PM on March 26, 2012


Response by poster: Hey MeFi folks, I finished the race. I was in the last wave (Y) and my time was 1hr 37min. I'm not sure I could have gone much faster without actually pushing people out of the way.

Training outside was a great idea. Had I stuck to the treadmill, I would probably have had a miserable time. No blisters or injuries. I sort of wish I had done a "dress rehearsal". The BodyGlide was probably a good idea, but using it for the very first time the day of the race might not have been the best plan.

Thanks for the help, and I was over thinking this. I made 80k new friends that day.
posted by Classic Diner at 6:10 AM on July 5, 2012


Congrats, great to hear!
posted by restless_nomad at 10:57 AM on July 5, 2012


« Older You are a useless piece of garbage   |   WYSIWYG up my e-newsletter! Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.