Running a 10K may look easy for advanced runners but it can be difficult for a lot of people, depending on several factors, including your current fitness level, training regimen and goals – not to forget nutrition (eating enough calories to avoid energy deficiency syndrome), and positive mindset along the way, both which are equally important aspects for conquering the race.
Below are considerations for those starting out in their running journey, and are looking to conquer their first official race – be it 5K or 10K – and hopefully their first full marathon in the not-so-far future.
Find your motivation and run with it!
There’s lot of varying reasons why people run, or rather choose to participate in a long distance race such as the Absa Run Your City Series. While for others, running may be a way to have fun and try new things, for me my running motivation not only revolve more around my general fitness as it’s the case for some, but as a form of therapy. I run and take walks to clear my head and reconnect with my spiritual self, be it meditating on Bible scriptures during my regular daily hikes or simply stepping out in nature, the great outdoors – the moment I step outside, I can feel the lifting of my spirit.
“Running is another way to inspire us to say we can find something where we exist together from a health perspective – we know that exercising is important to keep us balanced health-wise. So you start with 5KM, 10KM and then you end up doing the Comrades Marathon,” Candice Thurston, Absa Group Managing Executive for Brand and Marketing said, sharing – in line with the bank’s Your Story Matters rebranding slogan – how running can be a way to learn to set realistic goals and working hard to achieve them, as well as testing one’s capabilities.
Sharing her excitement about participating in the Tshwane 10K race during a Woman’s Day event in Sandton on Monday, a day after the race, Thurston said it was heartwarming to witness more than 8, 500 runners, majority of which were women, come together for a shared purpose, proving that our well-being depends on real human connections.
“Seeing all this women come together walking, running, sprinting, it was just warming something inside of me,” she said, adding: “There’s just something about sports that brings us together, it makes us support each other, and love ourselves.”
Training / Eating plan
Training: if you’re new to running, it typically requires a few months of consistent training to build up the endurance needed without feeling overwhelmed, as well as commitment and dedication.
For this race, it took me about a month to prepare since I’m regular runner and consider myself an average fit person – 5KM is what I average a day as part of my regular daily runs/jogs – and can even afford a decent 8km to 10km on some good days. For beginners, it can take up to 12 weeks or slightly more to prepare and built enough confidence.
Start small: starting with a walk or an easy jog on a daily basis can make it easier. Gradually work on increasing speed and level endurance, and even consider longer distances (make sure you can run comfortably) as your stamina and experience level up.
As Jason Fitzgerald, USATF-certified running coach and author of ‘101 Simple Ways to be a Better Runner‘ points out: âYour marathon race is a logical extension of your training.â If you train correctly, the race itself is just the icing on the cake.
Eating plan: having worked hard for months to prepare for your first 10K race, you are now ready to conquer the track. But first, you need to make sure your body is properly fueled for the challenge ahead. What you put into your body the night before and the morning of the race will determine your success on the track, and essentially make for a more pleasant running experience.
However, with 10k being a relatively short event compare to half or full marathon, a lot of the nutrition emphasis is put on before the event.
This plan, courtesy of highfive.co.uk, will guide you on what to eat and drink to effectively fuel yourself for an epic 10K run.
- Pre-race meal: As you would know, carbohydrates are an important source of energy, and this is especially important when youâre pushing your body to the limit. So make sure on race morning (2-3 hours before starting) you eat a balanced meal of carbs – and up 50-60% of each meal the day before the 10K – along with some lean protein, and healthy fats. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes and cereals for a sustained energy release. Stay away from high-protein foods and high fat foods such as cheese sauces, pastry and cream these can take longer to digest.
- Hydration: Make sure you’re loading your body with plenty of fluids the night before to ensure hydration. Use your urine colour as a guide – it should be straw-coloured. On race day, drink recommended sports drinks to ensure dehydration is the last thing you worry about. Also avoid drinking alcohol the day before. Not only is alcohol dehydrating, it can also disrupt your sleep and deplete your muscle glycogen stores quicker than anything else.
*For those aiming to complete a 10K in under one hour, fuelling during the run shouldnât be necessary.
Fitness level
Consider any preexisting physical conditions or injuries, as they can impact your ability to train and complete the envisaged race.
For beginners, especially those with a prior condition that makes them vulnerable to injury, it’s highly advisable to consult with your physician to ensure you’re good to go. If during training you are feeling chest pains that won’t stop or youâre on the verge of passing out while running, that should be a concern.
Ease in gently - racing day
A lot of people make the mistake of putting pressure on themselves, especially first time runners, as well as those running as a group. As part of the media and fitness influencer contingent for the Absa Run Your City Series, we were kind of a bit hard on ourselves if not too excited, as the result we came up with ambitious finish times to complete the race – less than an hour for most of us.
While some may have managed to accomplish this goal in most of the races, for our first marathon (in Gqeberha) that came with bittersweet repercussions – everything from muscle strains to shin splint to stress fractures and generally not feeling upbeat after the run for many. So easing in gently in order to minimise injury risk should be top of the mind as you embark on any race.Â
Likewise, we all learned from our past mistakes, hence the next races (Cape Town, Durban and Tshwane) were more manageable. With every successful race, it became clear that listening to your body as you run, and knowing when to take it slow was key – so you don’t end up crawling your way to the finish line as it was the case for many of us in Gqeberha. This way, while you might end up not exactly achieving your race time goal, you would have at least enjoyed the race and made it less harrowing. After-all, race time is just a number, so don’t let it define you. Once again, consider any race successfully finished as the icing on the cake.
