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" It&amp;#039;s almost GO-time! In approximately six days I will be joining hundreds of others in the walk/run/cycle across New York&amp;#039;s George Washington Bridge. As I write this I am thinking two things:   I am hardcore. I am hardcore. I am hardcore. 10k. 10k. 10K?!  Okay, so I have to admit, I am feeling a little bit nervous. (Hello- I am running my first official race. Considering the fact that last week&amp;#039;s four and a half miles left me winded, I am a little bit concerned.) What if I lag behind? What if I don&amp;#039;t manage to complete the entire 6.2 mile course? What if I cramp up? So what did I do to ease my anxiety? I grabbed my iPod (complete with Aly Michalka&amp;#039;s favorite workout playlist!),and I set out on one of my last training runs. It was then I realized that I was already a winner\u2014with or without a 1st place trophy. I managed to raise $350 for the American Cancer Society, I survived brutal side stitches and I stayed motivated to train, but above all I developed a healthier body and mind.  But listen, it was NOT a piece of cake getting here! Training for a 10k takes a lot of work and dedication\u2014along with a very solid plan.  Because I was already a seasoned runner, I knew that what I wanted to focus on was endurance and speed. Yes, I&amp;#039;ll admit, there are times when the clan of power walking mothers on my street pass me by. But hey- getting better at something takes time and effort, so I made sure to keep my training fresh to keep my body guessing and to make me stronger. Here&amp;#039;s what I focused on:   Sprints: sprints boost power, build muscle and improve your entire cardiovascular system. I knew I wanted to take my workouts to the next level so I incorporated sprinting into my schedule once or twice a week. I replicated the eight rounds of twenty seconds of work followed by ten seconds rest tabata workout from crossfit. After one round I was out of breath!   Hills: to add a bit more of a kick to my regular running routine I added some hill training to my weekly run schedule (uphill, not down hill). At least once a week I would switch up my run path to include a steeper incline or head to a local track to train running up and down the bleachers. The result? Greater endurance (and a very toned set of legs).   Distance: despite the many positive affirmations I reinforced before running (&amp;quot;you can do it!&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;keep going!&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;no you don&amp;#039;t look ridiculous huffing and puffing like that!&amp;quot;), distance was still the most difficult obstacle for me. So I decided to cut back on the pep talks (warming up in the park mumbling to yourself is not exactly a great look on me) and just started to take it easy. Every week I increased my distance by 10%. Increasing much more than that every week puts you at risk for injury. (I speak from experience: shin splints from attempting longer distances are unpleasant. Combine that with a bruised ego from challenging myself a bit too much that day, and you have one very grumpy runner!) Last but not least: stretching.  I&amp;#039;ll admit, I am a terrible stretcher. I have very little patience, and so I started to skimp on this important part of my running routine. But the truth is that skipping the post-run stretch will leave you sore and uncomfortable, possibly hindering your progress! My trick? Grabbing a favorite issue of Seventeen and reaching for my toes while skimming through my favorite \u2014perfect! Hey runners, do you have any tricks for training or tips for curing those pre-race butterflies? Share them in the comments! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/health/fitness/advice/a14421/training-for-a-10k/>