Train for a 10K

So you have decided to tackle 6.2 miles, a 10K. But where do you start? The American Boot Camp Company’s outdoor boot camp program can help you prepare for your first race or your fastest!

Here is the formula for getting ready

1. Choose a race 8-9 weeks from today’s date. We suggest the Chatahoochee Road Runners 10K or the Shamrock N Roll 10K, both in March 2010.
2. Sign up for 2 months of boot camp at your location of choice. Your boot camp workouts will include between 2-4 miles of “running” but also include strength training, speed work and the important core work to keep you injury free.
3. Attend all schedule boot camp workouts.
4. Choose a rest day and plan to run on your own or with a running group on the other 2 days.
5. Each week you will increase your running miles by ½ mile per the schedule below.
6. Race day. Run your best!

Suggested Training Schedule

BEGINNERS*

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED*

*Note: If your camp meets on Wednesday instead of Thursday, just switch timed run days.

Supplimental Workouts

Fartlek:

The true definition of the word "fartlek" is "speed play". On a fartlek run you will be altering your pace using one of the following two suggested workouts:

1. Telephone pole run. Using telephone poles to mark speed changes, alternate between a sprint and a jog every second pole along your running route. Make sure to warm up and cool down depending on the weather before sprinting.

2. Negative splits. Warm up and set out on your run with a stop watch or digital watch. For 3 minutes run at an easy pace in one direction, then turn and sprint back to the starting point trying to return faster than 3 minutes. Jog for 1-5 minutes then repeat.

Runing at a 10K pace:

As a veteran runner, you probably have run a 10K in the past and know your time. You will want to decide your goal time for the next upcoming race and figure out your pace/mile. Use this pace on days to get into the habit of running a bit faster and so that you body knows what to expact on race day.

Easy Run:

Don't break any records here. Set out on a new path and enjoy the great outdoors. Or use this day as a lower impact run day and hit the treadmill at the gym.

Injury Prevention

Core Conditioning Classes:

Stop into the Brookhaven Fitness Studio on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday at least one time a month to work on balance and strengthening your core and stability muscles. These classes were originally designed to help runners stay injury free! Click here for a studio schedule.

Release (Myofacial release) Classes:

All this training can lead to tight muscles and sometimes injury. You work hard at reaching your goals, now you can work hard to stay injury free by stopping by our Brookhaven Fitness studio for a Release class once a week. Classes are Tuesday at 5:20PM (30 minutes) and Saturday at 10:45AM (1 hour). You will use a foam roller and foam ball to release tension from your mucles. This is a great class if your are bothered by IT band syndrum, tight hips or quads, or just have tight muslces in general. Click here for a studio schedule.