10K Workouts for Beginning and Advanced Runners

10K-Specific Workouts for Beginners

This is a six-week progression for beginner runners that will get them to adapt slowly to running at goal 10K pace, and managing the entire distance easily. Before starting this plan, you should be able to run 6 miles comfortably for a long run and perform 3 miles of hard interval training.

Week 1:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 12 x 400 meters at 10K goal race pace with 60 seconds rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Week 2:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 8 x 600 meters at goal 10K pace with 60 seconds rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Week 3:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 15 x 400 meters at 10K pace with 45 second rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Week 4:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 6 x 1000 meters at goal 10K pace with 60 seconds rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Week 5:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 10 x 800 meters at 10K pace with 45 seconds rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Week 6:

• 1- to 2-mile warm-up

• 4 x 1 mile at 10K pace with 60 seconds rest

• 2 x 1000 meters at 10K pace with 45 seconds rest

• 1- to 2-mile cooldown
  

Each week, you can perform a second workout, which would be a tempo run, but it’s not required. Your long run should progress slowly each week from 4 to 5 miles to 8 to 10 miles by week six. You should race on the seventh week of this program, so simply find your target race and work backwards to set up your full training plan.

More: How to Double Your Endurance in Six Weeks