Having the confidence to know that you can definitely huff it X number of miles can really be helpful when any number of things go wrong. That confidence goes a long way in reducing the stress level when faced with some unexpected situation far from "civilization".

To be more practical, slowly adding some weight in a backpack could make it more preparedness-related once you've reached your 10 mile goal.

I often do 10-milers on a weekend. I'm not in a hurry so three hours is my usual time. I find the experience very meditative and calming, even if I may be huffing it up a hill.