10-K Race Plan

Following is my 10-K Plan for the Gum Tree 10-K Run here in Tupelo, Mississippi on May 13th. This will be the longest race I have ever attempted, with a previous longest of 4 miles. I grew up here in Tupelo and always wanted to run the Gum Tree, but never got around to putting in the miles to run.

If you are close to this area, the Gum Tree is a great race to run. I think it is still the largest 10-K run in Mississippi and is described as a “traditional fast, flat USATF certified course (MS96-002-RH), with excellent traffic control and experienced teams of organizers”. It is recognized by Runner’s World magazine as one of the top 75 runs in the nation and uses the ChampionChip timing system. It benefits a great cause –the Northeast Mississippi Habitat for Humanity and there is a great post-race arts festival to enjoy on the lawn of the historic Lee County courthouse.

As a New Year’s Resolution this December, I set a goal time of under 55 minutes. After the run last Saturday, I have a time a little bit quicker but I’m not going to say it so I won’t put additional pressure on myself! I may let you know after the race, depending on how I do. But my main priority is just to enjoy the experience and earn a finisher’s medallion. Here is the plan:

Here is an explanation of some of the terms in case you are not familiar with them:

PI: Pace Intervals – Running at the pace I hope to run the race in. I usually run these a little fast on the treadmill since it is easier.

SI: Speed Intervals – Running at a pace approximately 30 seconds faster than I plan to run the race. Again, I run a bit faster if it is on the treadmill.

10-10s - 10-minute tempo repeats at 30 seconds per mile slower than 10-K goal pace; 3- to 5-minute slow jog after each.

Total Uphill Time (TUT) - Run repetitions up the same hill, or work the uphill sections of a road or trail course.Strides (S) - Over 100 meters, gradually accelerate to about 90 percent of all-out, hold it there for 5 seconds, then smoothly decelerate. Walk to full recovery after each.

One thing I know I need to do with my training is more miles on the streets. I know that doing most of the miles on the treadmill may have hurt me a little in the 5K I just ran. One thing I am looking forward to is the anticipated hydration stations. The 5K run I just completed had NO hydration stations. Now I know it was just a 5K, but I have a condition called Atrial Fibrillation so it’s important that I stay well hydrated, even in a run under 26 minutes!

If you want to follow my progress more closely, be sure to check out my online training log on CoolRunnings. Let me hear from you if you have any comments or suggestions!