First 10K

running
(Andy C) #1

I ran my first 10K race this morning. I can officially call myself a “middle of the pack” runner after having literally finished in the middle of all the participants with a time of 1:03:58. For my first 10K at the age of 39, I’m pretty damn pleased.

I ran without eating breakfast, and eating nothing and drinking minimal water during the run. (The humidity is 92% today and I sweat a LOT, so I did need some water.) There were a few times during the run that I felt pretty tired, but I reminded myself that Tim Noakes likens fatigue to an emotion…something that starts in the mind and can be controlled at least to some degree. My N=1 test this morning supports that claim.

I like to listen to podcasts while I run, so what did I listen to this morning? Well 2KetoDudes, of course. It was that show that got me to were I am today and I wanted to have it with me as I crossed the finish line.

(Doug) #2

Andy, that’s great. :slight_smile: Extra congratulations on persevering through that wicked humidity.

(Andy C) #3

Thank you.

(Cheryl Hall) #4

Great job @AndyC! Inspiring for sure!

#5

Great job!!! The humidity is no joke!

(ianrobo) #6

many congrats @AndyC and did you run before Keto and what did you do then ?

(Andy C) #7

I did run before keto, but in a much more casual way. Two or three miles here and there. Mostly on an indoor track. A few years ago (before keto) I tried to get into running in a more serious way and I did run a 6K, but somehow I lost sight of it and “becoming a runner” just didn’t happen.

Since starting keto, I’m finally in a place, both physically and mentally, where I can take running more seriously. I’m not sure if it’s directly caused by keto or if it’s just part of my overall drive to be healthier…though I do know that the 60 lbs I lost have made a BIG difference.

I should add that it wasn’t a seamless transition between pre-keto and post-keto running. Those early keto days were rough and my body simply wouldn’t go. I was never fast, but my times dropped by more than two minutes per mile to somewhere above 13/m. Fortunately I kept losing weight so I was motivated to stay on keto and I also had this rejuvenated desire to run so I kept trying.

I’ve been keto for 6 months now and seriously running for about 4. My 10K pace was 10:27/m on a hilly and humid course, so I can say that, for me, time, patience and perseverance have really paid off.

(ianrobo) #8

very good and your story is typical of early struggles.

the same applied to myself and you must transition in a quieter period for training if that is relevant. I can not emphasise that enough.

Now onwards and upwards to half and full marathons eh ?

(Andy C) #9

That’s the plan. I’m signed up for a full marathon in November. I figured I’d go for the full thing and evaluate when I get closer to it whether or not I want to fall back onto a half marathon.

(Filipe Loureiro) #10

You did a good job m8, and a pretty good time :slight_smile:
Gratz

(Michael McMurray) #11

That is awesome! I went over a year doing no running at all, last time I ran the furthest I could I only accomplished 1.3 miles. I ran the other day for the first time in a year and did 3, or 5k!

My endurance on keto and having lost 18 pounds since then amazed me and my time was 11m mile.

You inspire me to run a 10k now! I’ve already done a 5 and I can’t imagine how cool it would feel to accomplish what you did!

Thanks for the post!

(Andy C) #12

If you can do 3m/5K after not running for a year, then I’d say a 10K is well within your reach. Just remember to go slow in the beginning. I’d recommend checking out the MAF method of heart rate based training. I don’t always strictly adhere to it, but i learned a lot from that approach about keeping my heart rate in a sane place, and, in turn, that helped me to find the right pace for different distances.

Good luck.

(ianrobo) #13

I have been a firm advocator of the MAF method after listening to Primal endurance. So much so I switched halfway through my training period to do it. On a bike it is not so easy to test it as too many variables but by keeping long rides mainly below 135 (180-45) I have seen I believe a terrific improvement in my aerobic fitness.

so much so that my cadence in 3 months has gone from an average of 77 to 85 and that’s a massive leap even on the longer rides.

(Michael McMurray) #14

What is your favorite way to monitor heart rate while running? Ive been thinking about it lately.

(Andy C) #15

I use an Apple Watch. From what I’ve read online it’s not as accurate as chest strap monitors, but it’s generally considered to be fairly accurate.

(Andy C) #16

I’m honestly not super strict about staying exactly at my MAF heart rate. I’m 39 so my target heart rate is 180 - 39 = 141. In practice I try to stay in the 150s. I chose this because I can pass the “talk test” in that range, meaning I can still carry on a conversation.

Also once a week I do a tempo run where I go all out at a pace I can maintain for 30 minutes. I really do believe in slowing down to build yourself up, but I also think it’s good to put your body under stress sometimes to encourage it to rebuild itself stronger.

(Michael McMurray) #17

I like the sound of that. I will look into MAF and start tracking. I will have to use my wifes purple fitbit for now but I look good in purple :muscle:

(ianrobo) #18

For any tech questions always go to DC Rainmaker boo for recommendations

For HR I followed his advice and got the Scosche and never let me down.