Are you wondering what is 10 k to miles? The answer is 6.2 miles. There are many runners around the world seeking to run faster over 10 kilometers. My goal with this post is to help you get better results by working smarter. Remember, it isn't necessarily the amount of mileage you are doing as it is the quality. There are many athletes who are running high mileage and still not meeting their 10k race goals. Why? Well, they are spending too much time running at paces that are far too aerobic. The 10k race is more of an anaerobic event. Yes, 10 k to miles comes out to 6.2 miles. So, it is a mixture of an aerobic and anaerobic event. Of course, an event like the mile to 5K event are highly anaerobic events. The 10k kilometer race definitely demands speed.
So, you want to work to slow down less than your competition. How you prepare is going to dictate how successful you become as a runner. The best middle to long distance runners spend a higher percentage of their weekly volume training at or below goal 10k race pace. Why do they make it look so easy? They have trained at speeds that far exceed what they plan on running in their 10k race. Yes, easier said than done. That being said, they are able to sustain pace longer for good reason. They have taught their bodies to burn fat at race pace. In addition, to conserve carbohydrates that they can call upon later in the race when everyone is slowing down.
How Many Miles Is a 10K?
A 10 kilometer race comes out to 6.2 miles. 1 kilometer comes out to about 0.6 miles. A half marathon comes out to 13.1 mies, 5K is 3.1 miles and a marathon which is 42.2 kilometers, comes out 26.2 miles. Athletes that compete in 10k race on the track are going to run 25 laps. In fact, it is the longest track race available to track and field athletes. Of course, there is the 20,000m walk that goes further than the normal running event. Race walkers walk 20k which comes out to 12.4 miles. One of the main areas to work on to race faster over 10 kilometers is to improve lactate tolerance.
Again, the key is to sustain race pace longer than your competition. So, you need to work on your speed. I advise the athletes that I coach to also run faster long runs. A big mistake many 10k athletes make is running too many of their miles or kilometers too slow. In addition, they spend too much of their easy days still running too fast. I am a big believer in heart rate monitor training. The reason being is it helps the athlete to stay in the correct heart rate zones. Also, to not run too fast or too slow on their training days. The training plans and running courses available here also focus heavily on this concept. I learned this tactic from some of the world's top runners and coaches who use heart rate monitors.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYHow Long to Prepare for Your First 10K Race
Our training plans here at rundreamachieve.com are 16 weeks in length. 4 months is plenty of time to properly prepare for your next 10k race. Is longer better? Of course, as long as you run your mileage at the proper paces. For example, I often recommend running easy for 4 weeks before starting a 16 week 10k training plan. The reason is you build that strong foundation of aerobic mileage first. It is much easier to follow 4 months of training for a 10k if you factored in your base mileage first. A big mistake runners make it rushing into training. It takes time to get into great shape.
You also need to learn proper pacing in the race as well. I see a lot of runners running far too aggressive in the first half of the race and crash and burn in the second half. Remember, no one wins the 10k in the first 5k. Of course, the athletes that have run at paces much faster than goal race pace are going to be able to sustain it. So, to outrun your competition you have to outwit them in the race. In addition, you have to train in such a way as to get that goal 10k race pace to feel easier. Faster, varied pace long runs are a great way to do this. You will build an enormous amount of strength and stamina training like this.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TRAINING PLANSWhat is an Average 10k Time for Beginners
Beginner runners often run anywhere from 8 to 14 minute mile pace over the 6.2 miles they are racing. Elite runners can sustain well under 5 minute mile pace or closer to 3 minute kilometer pace for 10 kilometers. The vast majority of runners run around 45 to 50 minutes for 10 kilometers. The world record for 10 kilometers on the track was set by Joseph Cheptegei of Uganda who ran 26:11. 26:11 for 10K comes out to an absurd, 4:12 per mile. The world record for 10 kilometers for women was set by Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia who ran 29:17 or 4:42 per mile for 6.2 miles, respectfully.
So, we all come from different backgrounds and have our own capabilities. The goal behind this post is to ensure you learn tactics to get the best out of yourself. Remember, if you run too many of your miles or kilometers each week too slow it will be difficult to sustain race pace. What percentage of your 10k training plan consists of running well below your goal race pace? Is it 10 percent or less? You now know you need to work on this. I would recommend moving more toward 40 percent of your weekly volume at higher intensities. Why? Well, the best middle to long distance runners spend about this much time training at faster speeds.
Is 10K in an Hour Good?
The vast majority of runners can run 10 kilometers in under an hour. Yes, it is a good time. How does someone go from being good to great? Consistency. We all have three choices in this life. We can be average, good or great. Greatness asks a lot more out of the athlete than most realize. You will need to hold 9:39 mile pace or 5:59 per kilometer to run a 10K under an hour. Again, what percentage of your weekly mileage are you spending at or below these efforts? If the percentage is too low then you now know you have to work more on speed development. In addition, you have to spend time dong longer tempo runs.
I highly recommend subscribing to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I created new videos there each week to help runners such as yourself get to the next level. Remember, you will be racing right around your anaerobic threshold. So, it is vitally important to get comfortable being uncomfortable. The better you teach your body to handle higher amounts of lactic acid the more efficient you are going to race. Again, the hardest working athletes don't ways get the results. I find that the smartest athletes in terms of how they train see the biggest gains.
Running at Threshold Pace
A common mistake runners make is spending too little time running at their anaerobic threshold. Remember, you will be racing at this intensity. So, it is important to gradually lengthen the amount of time you are spending at this effort. Your anaerobic threshold is the point where we start to build lactic acid in the muscle tissue. It is not pleasant running at this pace. The reason being is you are running around 88 to 92 percent of your maximum heart rate. So, it may be very hard at first to run 2 to 3 miles at this effort. It takes the body about 2 to 3 weeks to adapt to any stress load we place on it.
You cannot rush fitness. The body always adapts but you have to allot sufficient time in order to see big results. I would recommend working toward lengthening your tempo runs out to 4 to 7 miles. Again, be patient and allow sufficient time. It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks for your body to adapt. So, the benefits of the hard training you are doing today will be seen several weeks from now.
How Many Calories Does 10K Run Burn?
Athletes burn around 100 calories per mile. So, you are going to burn right around 600 calories by running a 10 k race. Remember, 10 k to miles comes out to 6.2 miles so you'll be burning just over 600 calories running this far. Of course, you will burn equally as many calories if you were walking. The only difference is you are going to cover the distance much slower as compared if you were racing. A 10k training plan has to focus on all the fundamentals to ensure success. So, that means faster long runs, longer tempo runs and 1, vo2 max speed workout per week.
In addition, it has to also focus on ensuring the athlete is recovering from the hard training they are doing. Again, you can only push the body hard so many times. So, you have to ensure you are jogging on easy days. I have trained with sub-2:10 marathoners who would jog at 9 to 10 minute mile pace on their easy days. Remember, these are athletes that could run at 4:57 mile pace or 3:04 per kilometer over the 26.2 mile/42.2 kilometer event. So, if they can run that easy on their easy days why can't you and I? The people who are wonder what 10 k to miles comes out to are seeking excellence. They want to find out how to cover this distance as effectively and easily as possible.
Strides
I am a big believer in doing strides. In fact, they are a big part of the training plans and running courses that I teach here at rundreamachieve. The major reason for this is to focus on form and acceleration. Yes, most 10k race specialists are distance runners and others are middle distance athletes. That being said, we can always work on our speed. What is great about strides is they are too short to build up any significant lactic acid. So, they are not going to cause you fatigue. In addition, you can do strides on top of your other weekly workouts without getting tired.
I always advise my athletes to do strides 2 to 3 times per week before, during or after their easy days. Strides should be no further than 100 meters in length. These are short sprints where you can focus on pumping your arms and lifting your knees. Also, stay as relaxed as you can while doing these. Remember, 10 k to miles is 6.2 miles. So, we want to get that race pace to feel easier over 10 kilometers. The athletes that are the most relaxed usually run the best. You do not want to waste any mental or physical energy on muscle tension. We are always in control of what we say to ourselves and tension within the body. So, practice this in training and stay as relaxed, cool and calm as you can prior to and during your 10k race.
Closing Thoughts
How much time do you spend mentally training for your road or track races? I ask that because most runners neglect this. We spend so much time on physical training and pay little to no time on mental training. The best middle to long distance runners I have trained with take this seriously. You have to see yourself succeeding in the mind first before it will ever become a reality in real life. I spent months visualizing myself breaking the 2:22 marathon barrier while still a 2:43:36 marathoner.
A few years later I ended up running 2:19:35 for the marathon. I was able to sustain 5:19 per mile or 3:18 per kilometer over the 26.2 miles largely in part due to mental training. In addition, I followed all of the tactics and strategies I have been discussing in this post as well. For example, longer tempo runs, faster long runs, jogging on easy days and 1 speed workout per week. Again, the paces were always far below the goal race pace I was planning on holding in my race. My hope for you is that you follow this guidance so that you start getting some big personal bests. So, 10 k to miles comes out to 6.2 miles. I am certain that if you take this advice to heart you are going to make some significant gains in your training and racing.
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