Coaching tips from my year of 10k races

This year I got back into running, and regular readers will know that this comeback has been years in the making. I started blogging about it in 2022.. and in 2023. So I am pleased to report that I have finally managed to get there! From a personal perspective starting the day with a morning run is a joy for me, and the photo at the start of this post is a snap shot from earlier this morning, as I was jogging down the river near my house and passed my favourite river oak tree. It’s a majestic sight and today the water was clear and still, reflecting the beauty of this glorious sunny morning.

So it’s a personal win, and it’s also professionally interesting because the coach in me is reflecting on what’s changed this time round? Why did I succeed this time when I have failed to do the same thing since 2021? Plenty of us struggle to stick to habits or achieve goals, and so I want to use my example to share some coaching tips that have helped me along the way.

Picking the right place to start

Now, I love running but I also have quite a few physical and mental health challenges that can make it tricky for me. From long term injuries to asthma, there’s something to contend with most days. When I tried and failed to get back into running one of the key things I didn’t do was to pick the right place to start. I had high expectations of what I wanted to achieve, and set goals that didn’t take into account where I was starting from. This time round, when I started training again in autumn, I started from scratch. I basically went back to the ‘Couch to 5K’ model and went out for walks with short, i.e. one minute, run elements. And even that felt hard. Step by step, minute by minute, I got a little more movement and felt a little more confident. It took months before I ran the first mile.

Setting a pattern to build a habit

The next thing I did right this time was to establish a pattern that was actually achievable. I used an app to begin with, following a simple training plan that had me running three times a week. Three times a week was a lot, but it felt OK. The first week I did all three runs. The next week I did only one. The week after that I managed two… and so on. Over the past six months I probably ran three times a week about half of the time. Some weeks I was sick and didn’t run at all. Or I was on holiday, or work was too busy, or it was too cold. What mattered is that I set an intention that I felt committed to, and it didn’t matter whether or not I actually went for the run, just that I kept trying.

Choosing a goal (and then repeating it)

My goal for this year is that by the end of the year I want to be able to go for a casual 10k run whenever I fancy. Once a week, or maybe once a month. I don’t want to feel that it’s a big deal or wipes me out for the rest of the day. And so I decided to sign up for several 10k races throughout the year, 6-10 weeks apart, and keep trying to get comfortable in the distance. So far, I managed to complete 2 of these, and I have another one coming up in 6 weeks, and then two more scheduled in for the autumn. I intentionally picked races that are all local, all 10k and nearly all a similar route, to keep these firmly in my comfort zone. I also wanted to minimise the impact of being injured for a race or having a bad race day. If I miss a race, then I have another one coming up to make up for it. I always found it disheartening when I trained for longe races for over six months only to then be unable to participate when it came to it.

Making it fun

One of the key issues I had to contend with over the past few years is that I was simply not enjoying running. There were a few things at play, but basically the fun had gone. So when I set out to get back into running this time round, I tried to make it as fun as possible. The first race I signed up for was a holiday-themed Santa Run, in full costume. Then I made extensive playlists that are so sunny and soulful that I can’t help but enjoy listening to the tunes. A friend suggested doing a race together, and we all went for a delicious pub lunch afterwards. Then we signed up for a beach-side race with sea views. You get the idea.

The way I want to run, in the morning, by myself, doesn’t really align well with having a running buddy or joining a club, which is why I didn’t go down that route, although I imagine it would have offered a lot of support and motivation. Instead, I am now on track to regain a really precious element of my weekly routine, enjoying quiet mornings whilst clocking up the miles and getting a bit fitter along the way.