10 weeks to 10K - week 8

15.4.19

Finding your rhythm to improve performance

Breath in confidence, exhale doubt. You’ve done most of the hard work already, but now it’s time to settle into your race pace.

When running long distances, whether its 10K or 50K, finding and keeping your rhythm is key to controlling your pace and energy levels.

To find your rhythm, start by looking at your technique. A good technique will prevent injury and allow you to become a more efficient runner. Focus on a relaxed posture consisting of: head and neck straight, chest up, shoulders back and down, hips stable and one foot in front of the other, aiming for a light mid food strike.

Another way to find and keep your rhythm is working out your running cadence, which is the total number of steps you take per minute. Running cadence is one of the two factors that make up a runner’s speed. The other is stride length. Therefore to increase your speed you should focus on increasing your cadence, your stride rate or taking longer strides.

Lastly, focus on your breathing. Rhythmic breathing, which coordinates foot strike with inhalation and exhalation in an odd/even pattern, where you land on alternative feet at the beginning of every exhalation. This allows you to feel your running and even out the impact running has across both sides of your body, instead of one side, helping to prevent injury.

Leave this week with power and positivity, knowing there is only two weeks of training left before you’re over the line.

10 weeks to 10K Training Plans

Beginner 10K Training Plan         Improver 10K Training Plan

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