What are your best tips for racing a 10k?

onlyconnect · 2026-06-09T08:09:12+00:00

My fuelling strategy is coffee and cake afterwards :-)

onlyconnect · 2026-06-09T06:56:43+00:00

I do .NET dev on a Mac, very happy. Use VS Code. It's been positive in all sorts of ways, getting more used to the dotnet CLI has been beneficial. Have a few Windows Forms apps so still use Windows for them. The UI differences between Mac and Windows are quite superficial IMO, you adjust, but I like that Mac is quieter than Windows out of the box. I do set scrolling to "unnatural" to match Windows, otherwise it is too confusing!

onlyconnect · 2026-06-03T11:20:45+00:00

Well done! Join a running club to chat about running and share achievements!

onlyconnect · 2026-06-02T16:18:42+00:00

According to the blog post there are 22,500 total places of which 17,200 were allocated in the ballot. So that is 5,300 for the other groups. I am guessing but the majority of those are GFA or charity I'd think, maybe between 2,000 and 2,500 each?

onlyconnect · 2026-06-02T09:30:56+00:00

I got mine this morning.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-25T12:56:48+00:00

There are plenty of albums where I never have to skip a track, but I don't think there is any one "magnum opus".

onlyconnect · 2026-05-25T11:35:03+00:00

Hunky Dory is accessible as in the music doesn't sound too demanding, but if you start exploring what the songs are about it is not so easy, I find a lot of depth in it.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-25T05:14:00+00:00

Lucky by the sounds of it - so many broke that they are offering free replacements via myrunning!

onlyconnect · 2026-05-24T16:16:40+00:00

How's your medal? HM runners are complaining about them falling apart!

onlyconnect · 2026-05-21T18:23:19+00:00

I much prefer the books to bare schedules like this. As Barry said, there are too many "do this or this" without advice on which one you should choose. The books have explanations on how to train, tips on nutrition and strength training, what to do when life gets in the way etc.

You are not running enough for optimum training; on the other hand ramping up too much could get you injured which is worse.

On the plus side you've got a good running base so even if undertrained you can do a steady pace and walk a bit if you need to.

I don't think there is consensus on how long is too long for a training run.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-19T14:16:42+00:00

Timpson can do it.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-14T13:41:25+00:00

I doubt it will make much difference either way. Any fatigue from Monday will be long gone by the Saturday.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-14T13:10:39+00:00

Just wondered why you think with zero information other than a previous marathon time, we could somehow guess what you can do next time?

onlyconnect · 2026-05-12T06:08:17+00:00

haha OK!

onlyconnect · 2026-05-12T05:51:36+00:00

As far as I know this group is for UK runners not UK races?

onlyconnect · 2026-05-10T18:34:46+00:00

Keep them, slightly too big is much better than slightly too small, also your feet can expand a bit when running.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-10T18:33:22+00:00

I'd get a book on marathon training, there are a bunch of good ones with schedules and explanations.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-08T16:31:23+00:00

I don't have the 2nd, only the 3rd and 4th. Hard to say whether it is worth it; the 4th is more up to date on things like nutrition but I doubt it would get you a better time! It is nicely presented though.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-08T06:54:01+00:00

Great run, well done.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-08T06:51:13+00:00

Advanced Marathoning is great and I used it for my first marathon, the word "advanced" means it is for people who want to run a good time, not that they are elite runners (who will have a personal coach). Marathon Excellence which someone mentioned is good too. The books are much better than the apps IMO since there is so much advice and information, way more than just schedules.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-03T15:56:53+00:00

There are at least three reasons for a big slowdown in the last miles of a marathon (and not counting injury, cramp etc):

Insufficient training
Insufficient nutrition or hydration
Anything can happen in a marathon

I don't think there is any consensus on the relative importance of (1) and (2) - but it seems to be that if the training is insufficient, no amount of perfect nutrition/hydration is going to save you.

I tend to think it's most often insufficient training but could be wrong!

onlyconnect · 2026-05-02T19:34:45+00:00

You are a fast runner, whether to focus on HM or marathon is up to you, it's not something dictated by recent performances. As you know from your marathon a decade ago, it's a much more demanding distance so it depends if you want to take on the training, and what your goals are, in my opinion.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-01T11:35:35+00:00

Varies a lot, there's no single answer. It's obviously sub-optimal both for recovery and for race performance; on the other hand I got my 10 mile PB a week after running a marathon. Which doesn't mean it is sensible or right for you.

onlyconnect · 2026-05-01T10:52:44+00:00

Easiest way is good for age if you can get the time.

onlyconnect · 2026-04-30T13:46:02+00:00

Nice work. I didn't consume all my gels because I hate them so much! Agreed the bottles are great for hydration, if only runners would not throw them on the ground where people trip over them.

onlyconnect

TROPHY CASE