This 10 km training plan is free and lasts 8 weeks. It has two versions: one for finish your first 10K running and another for improve your brand. Here's the calendar week by week. The key sessions, explained in depth, are in Key trainings for 5K and 10K.
Rapid response: To prepare a 10 km in 8 weeks, run 3 or 4 days a week. Make most of the kilometers at a comfortable pace, put in one or two quality sessions (series or controlled pace), slowly lengthen the long run and reduce the volume last week without removing intensity. In endurance runners, most of the volume is usually made at low intensity (Seiler, 2010).
Before you start: what level you are
- Level 1, finish: You run continuously for about 30 minutes without stopping, even slowly. You train 3 days a week.
- Level 2, improve brand: You have already run a 10K or run regularly 4 days a week and want to lower your time.
If you still don't get to run 30 minutes in a row, spend a few weeks alternating race and walk before you start.
How to read intensities
We use sensations (1 to 10 stress scale) and, if you have a pulser, heart rate zones. You can calculate yours with the HR area calculator and see the methods in how to calculate your heart rate zones.
| Intensity | Feeling | For what? |
|---|---|---|
| Soft | 3-4/10: You can speak with full sentences | Aerobic base and recovery |
| Controlled pace | 6-7/10: You speak with short sentences | Hold the pace of the race |
| Series | 8/10: fast but controlled | Aerobic speed and power |
If you know your VAM (maximum aerobic speed), you can use it to adjust the pace of the series.
Plan 10K level 1: finish (3 days per week)
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 (long draw) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 min soft | 25 min soft + 4 progressive short | 35 min soft |
| 2 | 30 min soft | 10 min soft + 3 × 4 min controlled pace (2 min jogging) + 5 min soft | 40 min soft |
| 3 | 35 min soft | 10 min soft + 4 × 4 min controlled pace (2 min jogging) + 5 min soft | 45 min soft |
| 4 (download) | 30 min soft | 25 min soft + 4 progressive | 40 min soft |
| 5 | 35 min soft | 10 min soft + 3 × 6 min controlled pace (2 min jogging) + 5 min soft | 50 min soft |
| 6 | 40 min soft | 10 min soft + 2 × 10 min controlled pace (3 min jogging) + 5 min soft | 55 min soft |
| 7 | 40 min soft | 10 min soft + 20 min controlled pace + 5 min soft | 60 min soft |
| 8 (race) | 30 min soft | 20 min soft + 3 × 3 min controlled pace | Race 10K |
Plan 10K level 2: improve brand (4 days per week)
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 (series) | Day 3 | Day 4 (long draw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 min soft | 6 × 400 m at 5K pace (rec. 1 min 30 s) | 35 min soft + strength | 60 min soft |
| 2 | 40 min soft | 5 × 1000 m at target 10K pace (rec. 2 min) | 35 min soft + strength | 65 min soft |
| 3 | 45 min soft | 8 × 400 m at 5K pace (rec. 1 min 30 s) | 15 min soft + 20 min controlled pace | 70 min soft |
| 4 (download) | 35 min soft | 4 × 1000 m at 10K pace (rec. 2 min) | 30 min soft | 55 min soft |
| 5 | 45 min soft | 3 × 2000 m at 10K target rate (rec. 3 min) | 35 min soft + strength | 75 min soft |
| 6 | 45 min soft | 10 × 400 m at 5K pace (rec. 1 min 30 s) | 15 min soft + 25 min controlled pace | 75 min soft |
| 7 | 40 min soft | 6 × 1000 m at target 10K pace (rec. 2 min) | 35 min soft | 65 min soft |
| 8 (race) | 30 min soft | 4 × 800 m at pace 10K (rec. 2 min) | 20 min soft + 4 progressive | Race 10K |
All series sessions start with 15 minutes of mild warming and end with 10 minutes back to calm. Pace 5K and pace 10K are the paces at which you could run that distance today, or your goal if realistic.
Why the plan is made like this
- Very soft, not intense: Most of the volume in endurance athletes is usually done at low intensity (Seiler, 2010). In elite runners, performance is related to the smooth shooting volume and to the practice of short series and controlled pace (Casado et al., 2021).
- Download week: Every few weeks we lower the burden to assimilate the work.
- Soft progression: The long run grows little by little. The ‘10 % rule’ is only indicative: in novel runners it did not reduce injuries compared to a slightly higher increase (Buist et al., 2008). The important thing is to progress and listen to the inconveniences.
- Setting up: Last week it reduces volume but maintains some intensity, which is what works best according to a meta-analysis on tapering (Bosquet et al., 2007).
Strength and rest
On level 2 there is strength two days a week: squat, zancas, twin and core, 20-30 minutes. The force improves the race economy in bottom runners (Blagrove et al., 2018). You have a full program in strength for runners. The days without a race are rest or mobility.
How to adapt the plan if you fail a week
- If you miss a session, do not recover it the next day: continue with the next one.
- If you lose a whole week, repeat the previous week.
- If you feel pain that gets worse when running, stop and consult a professional.
Do it with your coach at TrainingForever
If your coach uses TrainingForever, you can load this plan, adjust it to your paces, and see how each session goes. Sessions are synchronized with Garmin Connect and you can connect Strava. With TrainingForever, your coach has all the features free up to 5 athletes; from there, 0.99 € per active athlete per month, with a maximum of 49 €/month. For the athlete it's always free.
Your target is a 5K? You also have the 5K plan to go down 25 minutes.
What a Coach Says
"In a 10K the most common mistake is to run every day at the same pace, neither very smooth nor very strong. Separating the easy days from the quality ones changes things a lot." — Marc Bañuls, coach with more than 15 years of experience
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week do I need to run 10 km?
With 3 days a week well organized you can finish a 10K. To improve brand, 4 days allow more smooth volume and an extra quality session.
Can I prepare a 10K in 8 weeks from scratch?
If you already run about 30 minutes in a row, yes. If you start from scratch, first spend a few weeks alternating race and walk.
At what rate do I make the shoots?
At a comfortable pace, where you can speak with full sentences. If you use a pulser, in your lower areas.
What do I do for race week?
Reduce volume, keep a short session at race rate, and get rested. Don't try anything new on race day.
Sources
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in duration athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276-91.
- Married A, Hanley B, Santos-Councilor J, Ruiz-Pérez LM. World-class long-distance running performances are best predicted by volume of easy runs and deliberate practice of short-interval and tempo runs. J Strength Cond Res. 2021;35(9):2525-31.
- Buist I, et al. No effect of a appreciated training program on the number of running-related injuries in novice runners: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Sports Med. 2008;36(1):33-9.
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of covering on performance: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(8):1358-65.
- Blagrove RC, Howatson G, Hayes PR. Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2018;48(5):1117-49.
