WHAT? The Philly 10K Is Just One Month From Today

Photo by G. Widman for Visit Philadelphia

I’m sorry, but where has the summer gone? Spring, too. I couldn’t believe it this afternoon when I was talking to a colleague and it dawned on us, collectively, at the exact same moment, that the Philly 10K is exactly one month away. Time has seriously flown these past few months.

So I just wanted to take a moment out of our regularly scheduled program to offer a quick reality check if you need one: I repeat, y’all, that the Philly 10K is in one month. One. Month.

If you’ve been following it, you should be on Week 5 of the Official Philly 10K Training Plan, which puts you at six miles for your long run this weekend. Are you on track? How are you feeling?

If you’ve been slacking just a tad and are looking for a way to catch up, here’s our advice:

1) Get committed starting … now.

Seriously, don’t put off running consistently anymore. The only way you’ll get better and more confident at running is to, well, run. Put your calendar in front of you right now, and jot down your training plan going forward. If you have a plan, you’re more likely to stick to it.

2) But don’t over do it.

Overuse injuries are for real, and if you go all-out on your training too fast, you could be setting yourself up for some serious pain. Even though you’re in catch up mode, your body still needs time to recover. So remember to fit some “rest” days into your schedule, and be good about stretching and using your foam roller. A nice relaxing restorative yoga class every now and then can’t hurt, either.

3) Run hills.

Any runner will tell you that the fastest way to get your butt in shape is to start running hills: It’s good for your stamina and building leg muscles faster than flat runs. You could do hill repeats at Lemon Hill (or whatever incline is near you), or do some stairs workouts, like this one that I sometimes do at the Art Museum.

4) Don’t flake on your speed training.

Like running hills, speed training will get your legs and lungs back in shape faster. Plus, it’ll help you get, well, speedier. Here’s an easy-to-follow interval-training workout to get you moving.

5) Run with a group.

If you need motivation just getting out the door, try running with a group. Whether you enlist a friend or two, or join one of Philly’s many neighborhood running groups, running with a buddy (or 10) or just so much more fun than running alone. Those miles will fly by. Promise.

6) Most important, have patience.

Look, you slacked. Just admit it. The reality is that going forward, you’re going to have to have patience with your body. You might not be hitting your goal pace or distances, but that’s okay. Try adjusting your goal and focusing on the fact that you’ve gotten your butt off the couch for a run in the first place. That’s something totally worth celebrating.

So I’ll ask again: How’s your training going? Take our halfway-there check-in poll below, and leave any race or training q’s you may have in the comments. If you have any running-related topic areas you’d like to see on the blog in the next month, too, lay ’em on me!

Like what you’re reading? Stay in touch with Be Well Philly—here’s how:

• Like Be Well Philly on Facebook
• Follow Be Well Philly on Twitter
• Follow Be Well Philly on Pinterest
• Get the Be Well Philly Newsletter