Realistic running goals - the 10% rule

I'm sure a few of us are thinking about goals for 2011 - runs we'd like to do, distances we'd like to nail and PBs to achieve. It's important to ensure that you are setting yourself realistic goals - and the rule of 10% can be invaluable in sense checking ambitions!

The 10% rule is to increase the distance that you run no more than 10% in a week. So, let's assume that I'd like to tackle my first 10K and that I can currently run 5km. The training plan would need to be (rounded):

• Longest run week 1: 5km
• Longest run week 2: 5.5km
• Longest run week 3: 6.1km
• Longest run week 4: 6.7km
• Longest run week 5: 7.3km
• Longest run week 6: 8.1km
• Longest run week 7: 8.9km
• Longest run week 8: 9.7km
• Longest run week 9: 10.7km

For 10K, I should aim to get to the distance at least 1 week before the race. So I now know that if I'm to do a 10K, I need to get into training at least 9, ideally 10 weeks before the race. Therefore, the Eastleigh 10K at the end of March would be do-able, provided that my training starts by 2nd week of Jan. See the last blog on training logs - I can now write up my plan there, so I know what to do when. This will also help as I'll be able to spot issues that might need to be factored in (for example, I've got a week's holiday planned for Feb).

I've done the maths for a number of other distances:

• If you can currently run 10km, it will take 6 weeks to get to 10 miles (just over 16km, the distance of the Great South). Ideally, you should reach this 2 weeks before the race.
• If you can currently run 10km, it will take 9 weeks to get to half marathon. Ideally, you should reach this 2 weeks before the race.

Factor in the length of time that the training runs will take. If you run 3 times per week, a good plan would be 1 run pushing the distance, 1 run repeating that, and a final more intensive run that works on speed or strength. So for a half marathon, you'll need to build 2 runs per week of well over 1 hour for 9 weeks - a significant commitment.

This approach should mean that you only commit to events that your body will be able to complete without injury! For marathons, it's different as you don't tend to do the full distance on training - a separate blog will follow for this.

New Year is a great time to set resolutions - but it's even better if you can look back over 2011 feeling chuffed at having met your goals!