PREPARATION FOR THE 10K FOR MEN

INTRODUCTION:
Having a goal at the start of any exercise programme can
be a great motivator and in many cases can make the
difference between sticking with it or giving up.

For someone starting a jogging or running programme for

the first time or just getting back into it after a long break
it can be a difficult and daunting experience. How much
should I do? How far should I run? What pace should I run
at? What rest should I have between runs? These are all
questions that are common, so if you have asked yourself
any of them, don’t worry – you’re not alone!

The good thing about starting out on a beginners

programme is that the terms ‘walk’ and ‘rest’ are used
quite a lot! Once you have decided on the run to take part
in you should work backwards to however many weeks’ programme you are following. The sample
programme lasts twenty two weeks and is aimed at getting you to the onto the start line in a fit and
healthy state and with enough preparation behind you to get to the finish line! It assumes that you have
no major health problems, if in doubt consult your GP before starting the programme.

The programme is only a suggestion and should be adapted to suit your work and home life and the days
of the week that it is most convenient for you to exercise.

As with all exercise programmes you should always do some gentle movement warm-up exercises
beforehand and some stretching exercises to warm-down afterwards. If you have read this then you have
taken the first steps towards getting fit enough for THE 10K FOR MEN! Happy running!

TERMINOLOGY
Walk: Brisk walking pace (faster than walking to
the newsagents).

Jog: Gentle running pace (able to chat easily

throughout).

Walk/Jog: Periods of walking followed by periods

of jogging (vary the times and number of walks and
jogs depending on total target time/distance).

Run: Faster pace than jogging but still able to chat

(not continuously though!).

Rest: Either a day off exercise completely or other

exercise such as swimming, aerobics or cycling.

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THE 4 ZONE PLAN
To help you run more effectively and recover properly after exercising we have put together The 4 Zone
Plan. There is no exact point where one zone stops and the next starts and you may find that you
experience more than 1 or all of them during hard training or in a race!

1. The Blether Zone. As the name suggests this zone enables you to easily run along and have a
good blether with your running buddies (if you run alone feel free to blether to yourself, but
remember what is said about people who talk to themselves!). You don’t need any scientific
measurements or principles to run in the Blether Zone, quite simply if you are able to run
comfortably and blether then you are not going into oxygen deficit and your heart rate will be
higher than at rest but not nearly as high as when you run faster. As a very rough guide each
person has a maximum heart rate (MHR) of around 220 beats per minute minus their age (so a 40
year old would be 220 – 40 = 180). Aerobic running (i.e. running without going into oxygen
deficit) is achieved at a level around 60% - 85% of your MHR, Blether Zone would be at the lower
end of this range.
This type of running is appropriate for warming up for a harder run or race, or for a recovery run
the day after a hard run/race.
To measure your heart rate after exercise it is best to take a pulse measurement from the Carotid
artery on your neck, this should be easy to find as it pumps quite hard at higher levels. Measure
your pulse for 10 or 15 seconds and multiply by 6 or 4 to get your heart rate per minute. Your
pulse rate is the same as your heart rate.
2. The Puff Zone. This is a gradual step up from Blether Zone. You should still be able to chat to
your running buddies but it may not be as easy to get your words out. Most of your regular weekly
running should be In the Puff Zone as this will give you the best cardiovascular (heart and lungs)
exercise benefit, which is important for maintaining or improving your long term health and also
important in building a solid foundation for improving your running times or distances (if that is
what your goals are). In Puff Zone you should be aiming for around 70 – 80% of your MHR.
3. The Pant Zone. If you start to feel and look like a Husky pulling a sled then you have probably
entered The Pant Zone! At this level your heart rate is probably getting up to 80 - 90% of your
MHR and you will have started to exercise anaerobically (this means that you have gone into
oxygen deficit and are effectively running without oxygen and building up waste products,
predominantly lactic acid). Once you have entered this zone it becomes increasingly difficult to
sustain your running pace. This zone is usually only entered towards the end of a very hard
training run or race, or during specific training sessions where you vary your pace between slow
and fast for a period of time or a set distance. For beginners it is not really advisable to do much
training in this zone, it is better to build up an endurance/aerobic base from Blether and Puff Zone
training. This also has the advantage of minimising the risks of injury or illness from overdoing
things before your body has become accustomed to increased intensity of exercise. Once you have
been running for several months and perhaps taken part in your first organised race you can then
think about introducing Pant Zone training to improve your times, you should also feel that you are
running easier in the Blether and Puff Zones.
4. The Gasp Zone. The Gasp Zone is not a place that you want to be in too often! It would really
only be entered at the very end of a full out training run or race, even then only over the last few
hundred metres as you try to coax a final sprint out of your weary muscles! In Gasp Zone you will
probably be exercising at 90 – 100% of MHR. The other time you would enter Gasp Zone would be
during short interval training at high intensity, which is used to develop speed. For most
recreational and health runners it is not advisable to do this type of training, unless of course you
have secret ambitions of being the next Lee McConnell or Tom McKean!
www.jogscotland.org.uk www.mhfs10kformen.org
 THE PROGRAMME
Week Weeks
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
ending until run
10 mins 10 mins 20 minute gentle
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
25-Jan-09 22 walk/jog walk/jog walk
15 mins 15 mins 20 minute gentle
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
01-Feb-09 21 walk/jog walk/jog walk
20 mins 20 mins 25 minute gentle
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
08-Feb-09 20 walk/jog walk/jog walk
25 mins 25 mins 30 minute gentle
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
15-Feb-09 19 walk/jog walk/jog walk
30 mins 30 mins 30 minute steady
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
22-Feb-09 18 walk/jog walk/jog walk
35 mins 35 mins 35 minute steady
REST REST REST Alternate exercise
01-Mar-09 17 walk/jog walk/jog walk
40 mins 40 mins 40 minute steady
8-Mar-09 16 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
walk/jog walk/jog walk
20 mins 20 mins 45 minute steady
15-Mar-09 15 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
jog/run jog/run walk
25 mins 25 mins 45 minute steady
22-Mar-09 14 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
jog/run jog/run walk
30 mins 30 mins 50 minute steady
29-Mar-09 13 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
jog/run jog/run walk
35 mins 35 mins 40 minute brisk
5-Apr-09 12 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
jog/run jog/run walk
40 mins 40 mins 45 minute brisk
12-Apr-09 11 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
jog/run jog/run walk
3 mile 3 mile 50 minute brisk
19-Apr-09 10 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
3 mile 3 mile 60 minute steady
26-Apr-09 9 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
3½ mile 3½ mile 60 minute steady 5k organised run or
3-May-09 8 REST REST REST
continuous run continuous run walk race
4 mile 4 mile 60 minute brisk
10-May-09 7 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
4½ mile 4½ mile 65 minute brisk
17-May-09 6 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
5 mile 5 mile 70 minute brisk
24-May-09 5 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
5½ mile 5½ mile 80 minute steady
31-May-09 4 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
6 mile 6 mile 80 minute steady
7-Jun-09 3 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk
5 mile 5 mile 45 minute steady
14-Jun-09 2 REST REST REST Alternate exercise
continuous run continuous run walk

4 mile 4 mile 20 minute gentle

21-Jun-09 1 REST REST REST
continuous run continuous run walk

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IMPORTANT NOTES TO THE PROGRAMME
Rest. This term doesn’t mean that you can have a ‘duvet day’; it is intended to be a day where you have
no scheduled physical activity. However, you can still be active – simple changes to your daily routine
such: as getting off the bus a few stops earlier; walking up stairs instead of taking the lift; and walking to
the shops instead of taking the car are all ways of helping increase your fitness level and get you used to
being physically active on a daily basis.

Walk/Jog. In the first few weeks you should alternate 30 seconds walk with 30 seconds jog and
gradually increase the time of each until you can jog for 4 or 5 minutes without stopping with 2 or 3
minutes walk in between each jog. In the early weeks of the programme don’t worry if you cannot do
more than a couple or repetitions of walk/jog, it will get easier as the weeks go on! During these weeks
you should try to stay within the Blether and Puff Zones, although it may feel like you are in the Pant
Zone in the early weeks!

Jog/Run. When you have progressed from walk/jog to jog/run within the programme you should
alternate 30 seconds jog with 30 seconds run and gradually increase the time of each until you can run
for 4 or 5 minutes without stopping with 2 or 3 minutes jog in between each period of running. As with
the walk/jog weeks you should try to stay within the Blether and Puff Zones, trying to keep out of the
Pant Zone for another few weeks!

Continuous Run. When you have progressed from the jog/run weeks to continuous running you should
try to stay within the Blether and Puff Zones, running with other people of the same fitness level will help
you keep within the Puff Zone, if you find that one of your running buddies is not saying very much then
take that as a sign to ease off a little and get back into the Puff Zone! On your continuous runs you should
aim to run slightly slower than your intended ‘10k for Men’ race pace.

Alternate exercise. This includes any alternate aerobic exercise activities such as swimming, cycling,
exercise classes, rowing machines, stair climbers, etc. If you are exercising at a gym or sports centre
consult staff about suitable classes and equipment.

5k organised run or race. Around 4 – 6 weeks before the 10k for Men it would be ideal to take part in
an organised run or race, ideally a 5k, all runs and races are listed at www.jogscotland.org.uk/events.
This will help you get accustomed to the preparations for the big day so that when Sunday 21st June
comes around you will be ready, both physically and mentally.

Walk. The weekly scheduled walk within the programme is an ideal opportunity to get active with friends
and family. Why not get out to the countryside or find a local park and gradually build up the pace you
walk from a gentle stroll in the early weeks up to brisk walking later on in the programme. The walk will
help your body recover from the other activity you have undertaken during the week. You do not need to
worry about exact time or distance on the walk – just enjoy the great outdoors!

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FINAL NOTES
The programme is suggested advice and should be adapted to suit your work and home life and the days
of the week that it is most convenient for you to exercise. Do not worry too much about exact distances,
just try to cover the approximate time for each distance stated at your normal running pace.

As with all exercise programmes you should always do some gentle movement warm-up exercises
beforehand and some stretching exercises to warm-down afterwards. As with any physical activity
programme please consult your GP before commencing if you have any health concerns.

Everyone is individual in how they approach and prepare for an event such as THE 10K FOR MEN, some
people like to run together in groups, others prefer to run alone or with a buddy. Some are early larks,
others are night owls. Whatever category you are in, we can help in some way.

To find jogging groups in your area go to: www.jogscotland.org.uk/local_groups and you can also find all
the men-only jogging groups on the MHFS website www.mhfs10kformen.org

If running with a group is not your thing the jogscotland website at www.jogscotland.org.uk contains
loads of tips and advice to help you with your running – and it’s FREE to sign up!

GOOD LUCK
AND
SEE YOU ON
SUNDAY 21ST JUNE 2009

Time for a rest!

www.jogscotland.org.uk www.mhfs10kformen.org