This fall, Women's Health magazine will once again host its signature RUN10 FEED10 event with a mission! Kicking off the event series in New York City on September 20, thousands of participants will run down the West Side Highway for the timed 10K race. Women's Health and FEED, the organization founded by philanthropist and social entrepreneur Lauren Bush Lauren, partner for this race series to motivate consumers nationwide to help fight domestic hunger.
Last year, I ran my first 10k with the help of my former-track-star boyfriend, Phil, and my wonderful fitness trainer, Erin. As a novice runner, I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to get through a couple of miles- let alone finish the 6.21 mile race! I was so scared, in fact, that I almost didn't run it! I told Erin a couple weeks before the event that I might just donate instead, and true to form, she wouldn't let me quit. Instead, she signed up to run with me and helped me get into shape. I started running a minimum of 9 miles per week (3, 3-mile sessions) with an average pace of 10.40 minutes/mile. Other gym members overheard my hesitance, and offered their advice as well:
- Always go at your own pace!
- If you start to fatigue, reduce speed to a slow jog. Don't walk though, as it's harder to pick up the pace again. Even if you're barely jogging, you're still jogging.
- Set an attainable goal. Last year, that was to run for at least 4 miles before taking a break. This year, I want to run the whole thing without stopping even if it takes me 2 hours!
This year, my training plan is to gradually work my way up to running a full hour without breaks. I'm focusing on time as opposed to mileage, as setting a steady pace is the most difficult thing for me. Stamina just ain't my thing! As of this week, I'm up to 40 minutes and about 3.75 miles on average. I've only got a couple weeks to go, so it's time to increase that time! Additionally, I want to beat last year's time of 01:08:53.