[JellEBeanDesigns]

I have decided to run tough mudder next year! Traditional weight loss wasnt working for me so I decided hmmm goal time baby! so I ran for 1/2 an hour today and made 1.58 miles (intervals of 2.0 cool down and 4.7 peak) I only have time to run every other day (3 times a week) since school is starting and work and dh schedule. So is it realistic to think I can do 10 miles in 1 hour by the end of August? I had a short day today because I went in the evening and not in the morning...

[Christen]

I have only trained for a 5k (3.10 miles) and it took about 2 months...I got up to a 12 minute mile if that helps at all...seems like you might need more time to me but hey anything's possible...good luck!

[JellEBeanDesigns]

I am at a 15 minute mile right now when I am *running running* not just intervals...thanks though I may need more time which will make me frustrated but more to fight for right?!

[Christen]

If you put your mind to it you can do anything...I went from NEVER being a runner to training for the 5K so needless to say I started out SLOW!!!! ROCK ON!

[indiblue]

Originally Posted by Christen

If you put your mind to it you can do anything...

Running isn't just about mind over matter, or commitment. Running is a really taxing activity on your joints. Just because your mind is willing doesn't mean your body is able.

The general rule of thumb is to increase your time or mileage by 10% each week. This is a bit conservative, but it gives you a general idea. There are 4 weeks in August. If you are running 30 minutes this week and follow this rule of thumb your training schedule would look like this:

Week 1: avg 1.5 miles per run
Week 2: avg 2 miles per run
Week 3: avg 2.6 miles per run
Week 4: avg 3.5 miles per run

This is a *rough* training schedule. If you are running 3 times a week you could do 2 shorter runs and "borrow" time from those runs to make your third run longer than the times I indicated above. You could also go by times, not distance.

But this breakdown should indicate that if you follow this rule of thumb- or even go a bit faster- you shouldn't get close to going from 1.58 miles to running 10 miles in just 1 month.

In addition, speedwork is REALLY hard! You have to incorporate specific types of training to go from a 15 minute mile (where you are now) to a 6 minute mile (if I understand that that's what you're aiming for). Physically, that is very difficult to do in 1 month.

I am NOT saying this to be discouraging. The reason for this rule of thumb is to avoid injury. Running is very taxing on the joints and increasing too fast too soon will make you prone to injury. I followed the 10% rule and went from running 5K/30 minutes to 10K/60 minutes in about 8 weeks and I STILL got injured twice- in my right knee and now in my left foot. I'm having to take time off of running to heal my injuries. Not the end of the world, but just a reminder of how sensitive our bodies can be to the impact of running.

Your goal are AWESOME and you should be able to run 10 miles at some point if you really committed to it! I just strongly recommend you do it the smart, slow and steady way rather than risk injury and cutting your running career short! Good luck

[MariaMaria]

Ten miles in one hour?

No. You cannot get to ten, six-minute miles in six weeks if you're running 19-minute miles now.

Most women runners never get to even one six-minute mile.

[Christen]

Originally Posted by Christen

If you put your mind to it you can do anything...I went from NEVER being a runner to training for the 5K so needless to say I started out SLOW!!!! ROCK ON!

Sorry...was just trying to root you on You can still meet your goals though just not maybe as quickly as you thought

[ncuneo]

I think if you want it bad enough you could get to 10 miles by august, however I wouldn't recommend it. The rule of thumb to prevent injuries and what not is a maximum increase of 10% of your milage each week. As far as doing it in an hour based on you current times, well I hate to be negative, but no I don't think that is possible.

[SCraver]

I upped my running - training for a half marathon that is on 9/18. My knee has been aching and I have had to back off a bit. If you do too much, too soon you can (and will) end up with injuries. Like the PP said - add no more than 10% more each week. I am trying to go from doing about 4 miles at a shot to working my way up to 13 miles in 13 weeks. To try to go from the 1.58 you did the other day to 10 miles in 4 weeks.... Ouch! And to do it in one hour? That is a six minute mile pace. There are people who train for years and years and years and never get that fast.

If you meant could you do it by NEXT August - that would be a good goal.

That being said... I totally want to do a Tough Mudder, too!! Or a Spartan race. I am thinking maybe next spring/summer so I can work on building my upper body strength, too. They look like so much fun... I am going to have to find a friend to sucker into doing one with me. Hee hee hee...

[JellEBeanDesigns]

I did 1.73 in 30 minutes today, I am hoping to do 1.90/30 tomorrow. I realize I may not get there for an everyday thing I want to do it once, like 9/1/2011 run 10 miles in 1 hour and then do 5 miles everyother day, with the goal of 8-10 miles once a month I figure if I do
7/29 1.90 *2.0*
8/1 2
8/3 2.25
8/5 2.50
8/8 2.70
8/10 2.9
8/12 3.10
8/15 3.30
8/17 3.50
8/22 3.70
8/24 3.90
8/26 4.10
8/29 4.30
8/31 4.50
all in 30 on 9/1 I should be able to hit alteast 9 same pace in an hour. It may be unrealistic for every day but once should be okay

[Christen]

You Can do it!!!!

[tuende]

10 miles in an hour?! I would say that with training you can work up to a 10 mile run, but 10 miles in an hour is ridiculously fast! Get on the treadmil and bump it up to 10.0. Then imagine yourself running there for an hour!

Not to be discouraging- I think the ten mile goal is awesome and something you can definitely attain, although if I were you I would think about letting go of some of the time constraints- both in your pace and in the length of time you're giving yourself to get there. After my first double-digit run, I felt amazing, like I could conquer anything! Certainly a worth-wile goal! I think you're already gotten some stellar advice on how to increase mileage safely so that you avoid injury. Give yourself a training schedule that will set you up for success!

[MariaMaria]

I'd be interested to follow your progress--let us know how it goes!

[JellEBeanDesigns]

im happy to update everytime i run

[kariatari]

Like most other people on the board, I agree that you might be able to do 10 miles, but definitely not in 60 minutes by September 1.

I do, however, think that if you're in decent health, running for distance is more mental than anything. Case in point: My fiance never ever runs and barely works out, and on a whim, he signed up for a 7.5 mile run/eco challenge in the middle of November. I laughed in his face when he signed up, and continued laughing at him all the way to race day. I dropped him off and told him I'd be willing to pick him up on the route whenever he decided to drop out. However, I'll be damned if he didn't finish that run (with no walking!) in 1hr 25 min and in the top 33% of the runners.

The next challenge he's going to take on is the Tough Mudder. That race is going to require a lot of upper body strength too...just something to consider.