There are many components of running that aid in tweaking the time you finish your 10k. There are factors such as the weather, clothing (shoes, type of shirt/sports bra), hydration, nutrition, mindset, etc. If you just went into shock after reading the short list above, I will introduce you to a resource that will show you exactly what you need to do to train effectively and efficiently at the end of this article.

In terms of training for a 10k, I will be talking on the importance of pace.

When you run a 10k race, your pace is going to be different if you were to run a 5k or a marathon. The reasoning is simple: your body has built up endurance during the training that was done until race day, and is capable of pushing itself based on the depth of the training. The more effectively you train for the various races you compete in, the stronger your body will be and the easier it will adapt to the races you run.

Here are the paces you should consider when training for 10k races:

• 13 min/mile pace finishing 10K in around 1 hour 20 minutes
• 12 min/mile pace finishing 10K in 1 hour 15 minutes
• 11 min/mile pace finishing 10K in 1 hour 8 minutes
• 10 min/mile pace finishing 10K in 62 minutes

Now, the way to track your pace is by buying a watch suitable for tracking your run. A very popular watch that is used by hundreds of runners, just like you, is the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor. I highly recommend Garmin products because of their reliability and their integration with so many third party software and devices.

If you are a stronger runner and possess the ability to run faster than a 10 min/mile pace, here are the timings you will finish you 10k in:

• 9 min/mile pace finishing 10K in about 56 minutes
• 8 min/mile pace finishing 10K in around 50 minutes
• 7min/mile pace finishing 10K in about 43 minutes
• 6 min/mile pace finishing 10K in around 37 minutes

I want you to take the knowledge you have just acquired and consider how long will it take you to finish your 10k? Based on the training you already have done, what was your pace averaging to? And finally, what can you do now to improve your pace to the level you want to race at?

I wish you the best of luck in your training. I hope you can join me and many other runners training for their first race with a “7-day Blueprint to Competing in Your First Race”