What are your tips for running the Army Ten Miler?

SSG Roderick Smith — Sat, 28 May 2016 13:51:16 -0400

I'm proud to say that I have registered for my first Army Ten Miler this year, and I've been training for about a month now. For those of you that have participated in the event, what are your tips for a successful run? What was your experience like?

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made May 28 at 2016 1:53 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Sat, 28 May 2016 13:53:21 -0400

SSG Roderick Smith hydrate and be mentally and physically prepared before the run"practice makes perfect"

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 28 at 2016 2:10 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 28 May 2016 14:10:28 -0400

Style, Form & Equipment. Good Shoes, Good Style and Form because shin splints suck. Never went that far I was strictly a Navy 5K runner. Plenty Long for Me. I wish you luck Staff and let us know how you do!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 28 at 2016 2:17 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 28 May 2016 14:17:31 -0400

The Army 10 miler is a great run.

If you are preparing for it, I would suggest looking up a traditional "Half marathon Training Plan" (there's normally a 10 week plan). The 10 mile is the final "taper" before the 13.1 mark, so it ends up working well for a 10 mile training plan.

For the race itself.

1) Start out SLOW
2) Slow down MORE THAN THAT. You will have A LOT of adrenaline because of all the people, and will end up running 1-2 minutes faster on the first mile than you should. You CANNOT maintain a 2 Mile Pace for 10 miles.... And if you can... you will hurt. A Lot
3) Ten Miles is right at the cusp of the Physical / Mental Endurance Race limit. You won't hit the wall (point where you run out of carbs....) but you will come close, and it makes for a great race.
4) Get a good nights sleep the week of, not just the night before.
5) Take the metro in (don't try to get parking in DC)
6) Eat Chips for lunch the day before, you'll need the salt/electrolytes. It's usually not "cold" on that weekend, but it's getting there. Bring a sweatshirt or gloves.

PM me if you have questions.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 28 at 2016 2:32 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sat, 28 May 2016 14:32:59 -0400

Tain on roads not trails, it is inner city and generally very crowded for the first mile. If you generally run with water on a belt do that as cups from a table can distract negatively and often cause jams and a loss of cadence. Good luck.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made May 28 at 2016 4:57 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sat, 28 May 2016 16:57:39 -0400

If you're not looking to win, enjoy yourself and don't quit. You'll have a blast!

Response by SSG Warren Swan made May 28 at 2016 5:02 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Sat, 28 May 2016 17:02:28 -0400

I did it in 96. Started off small, just two milers, then three, then three for time, and kept going until I was able to run all ten at a 10 minute pace and sing cadences to myself helping me to breathe deeper. Back then at Ft. McNair they had a route that would take you to ALL of the monuments in DC to include the Capitol, White House, Nam Memorial and everything else. When you were done, you've completed 8+ miles. This took six months to get ready for, and when I ran, I kept to my pace, didn't race anyone, and when I came across the 14th st bridge back to the Pentagon, EVERYTHING began to finally hurt. Cramps, whatever could hurt, hurt. But I made it. That was the goal. Won't ever do it again. But I can say I did it, and that's what matters.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 5:28 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 May 2016 17:28:24 -0400

Good on you! I ran a "shadow run" of the Army Ten-Miler at FOB-Wright, Afghanistan in 2010...even had my time posted to the official site. Other than training...hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Also..bring along compact, easy-to-eat snacks like Clif bars. Some people like to eat those gel packs, but I'm too much of a fan of chewing. Godspeed to you as you train!

Response by MSG Pat Colby made May 28 at 2016 7:12 PM

MSG Pat Colby — Sat, 28 May 2016 19:12:30 -0400

I've run countless Half-Marathons and 7 full Marathons. Plus a variety of other team runs and Mud runs. My T-shirt drawer runneth over..

~ Acknowledge that you will not "win" the race.
~ Start towards the rear of the gaggle. The sheer numbers will cause you to start slow and build up your pace as you catch your second wind.
~ As the crowd thins out, pick someone ahead of you and get determined to pass them at a reasonable pace. Then pick out the next person. Rinse and repeat.
~ DO NOT TAILGATE THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU! Leave yourself a bit of room so you can see any obstacles on the road.
~ Be VERY careful at water points. Those paper cups all over the road are like Black Ice and will put you on your ass before you realize what happened.
~ Don't take it personal. Some people are WAY too focused on their own little world and will make sudden movements that may impede your progress. Kinda like the Tailgating thing but you have to anticipate people doing stupid shit outside of their lane and into yours.
~ Enjoy the run. Say Hi to Folks (even if just a smile and a nod).

~ Factor in time at the end for a bit of Camaraderie. The best part of the experience is hanging with your fellow runners after the run.

Good Luck and enjoy the scenery!

Response by COL Robert Notch made May 31 at 2016 8:25 AM

COL Robert Notch — Tue, 31 May 2016 08:25:37 -0400

SSG Smith,
I have three bits of advice for you.
1. Arrive early on race day. The start line is extremely crowded and it becomes difficult to get to your bib color group, let alone stop for a bathroom break. If you need place to stay, try to book a room very early in Crystal City and walk to the start. You can take the Metro to the Pentagon, but be prepared for a crowded exit. People will hang out inside the Metro to stay warm before heading out. Get there at least 1 hour early.

2. Enjoy the run! Don't worry about your finish time as much as looking around at the sights and enjoying the crowd. You will have plenty of water stops along the way - if needed. If you focus on a great time, you may get frustrated jockeying around other runners. At the end, plan on spending extra time to visit the booths at the finish line. You will likely run into colleagues you have not seen in years! It a good time to reconnect.

3. Keep on training! you will enjoy everything much more if you are not struggling to make the finish. There are plenty of web sites that can give you a good training plan. Select one for a 1/2 marathon and you will be fine A lot of people use Hal Higdon's website.

Good luck!
Bob Notch

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2016 7:20 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 May 2016 19:20:28 -0400

Congratulations on your decision to run the Army ten miler. A beautiful course that will challenge you but very doable. You can find a good training on runnersworld.Com and active.Com has many articles with good info on race day tips and nutrition advice. Hydrate well before the day before the race, carb load the night of (think pasta), and between now until race day put miles on your shoes. You'll be fine and enjoy the run. I will reiterate one piece of advice on the forum-it is easy to get excited and start the run at too fast of a pace to sustain so be sure to stick to a pace and you will finish relatively pain free. Happy training and maybe I'll see you there.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 2:41 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 02:41:51 -0400

Training is the most important part. Before I ran the 10 miler I had only trained up to 7 miles. I thought I would not make it but when you get there the adrenaline kicks in and took effect all the way. One of my most proud accomplishments

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 12:16 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:16:40 -0400

congratulations on your commitment to run the ATM!

*trust in your training
*have fun
*don't get too caught up in the beginning with the excitement....find your pace and run it...you'll be passing those that went out too fast soon enough
*have fun. seriously.

good luck!!!!!!!!

Response by MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 12:24 PM

MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:24:59 -0400

I used Hal Higdon's half marathon training guide and modified it for 10 miles. I was religious in sticking with the plan; there were days I felt like I could run more, but didn't. You can Google it if it's something your interested in. There's an app now; back when I was training that didn't exist. Good luck.

Response by CPL Gerard Hulbert made Jun 10 at 2016 8:32 AM

CPL Gerard Hulbert — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 08:32:39 -0400

I have run this race for over 10 years. Start training slow, keep one hill run, one long run and one recovery run at least per week. Hardest section is the 14th street bridge w/ 4 rolling hills.