10K training plan: eight weeks from 5K to 10K
This eight-week plan is for runners who can already cover 5K without stopping and want to double it. It uses three runs a week and builds the long run by about a kilometre at a time.
Before you start
You should be able to run 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) continuously, at any pace, and have been running two or three times a week for at least a month. If you are not there yet, finish the Couch to 5K plan first. See a GP before starting if you have a health condition or have been inactive.
The three weekly runs
Easy run
A relaxed run at conversational pace. It should feel almost too easy. Its job is to add distance to your week without adding fatigue.
Faster session
A run with short spells of harder effort. Warm up with ten minutes of easy running, complete the efforts listed with an easy jog or walk between each, then cool down with five to ten minutes of easy running. "Brisk" means a pace where you can say a few words but not hold a conversation. "10K effort" means the pace you think you could hold for the whole race. Use the pace calculator to work out what that is per kilometre or mile.
Long run
The longest run of the week, at easy pace. Slow down as much as you need to complete the distance, and take short walking breaks if they help. The plan reaches 10K in week 7 so that you have covered the distance once before race day.
The eight-week plan
Spread the runs across the week with a rest day between them, for example Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Distances are in kilometres with miles in brackets.
| Week | Easy run | Faster session | Long run |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 km (2.5 mi) | 4 x 1 min brisk, 2 min easy jog between | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| 2 | 4 km (2.5 mi) | 5 x 2 min brisk, 2 min easy jog between | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| 3 | 5 km (3.1 mi) | 4 x 3 min brisk, 2 min easy jog between | 7 km (4.3 mi) |
| 4 | 4 km (2.5 mi) | Easier week: 4 km easy, then 4 x 20 sec relaxed fast strides | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| 5 | 5 km (3.1 mi) | 5 x 3 min at 10K effort, 2 min easy jog between | 8 km (5 mi) |
| 6 | 5 km (3.1 mi) | 3 x 5 min at 10K effort, 3 min easy jog between | 9 km (5.6 mi) |
| 7 | 6 km (3.7 mi) | 2 x 8 min at 10K effort, 3 min easy jog between | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| 8 | 4 km (2.5 mi) | 3 km easy with 4 x 1 min at 10K effort, early in the week | Race day: 10 km (6.2 mi) |
Adding a fourth run
Three runs a week is enough to complete a 10K comfortably. If you have the time and feel fresh, add a fourth run of 3 to 4 kilometres at very easy pace from week 3 onwards. Keep it genuinely gentle, and drop it in any week where your legs feel heavy.
Week 4 and week 8
Week 4 is deliberately lighter. A cutback week lets your body absorb the first three weeks of work, and most people find week 5 feels easier as a result. Week 8 is a short taper: you run less so that you reach the start line rested. The tapering guide explains why cutting back does not cost you fitness.
If things do not go to plan
- Missed one run: carry on. If you have to drop a run, drop the easy run and keep the long run.
- Missed a week: repeat the last week you completed before moving on.
- A session feels too hard: shorten the efforts or cut one repetition. Finishing a slightly easier session is better than abandoning a hard one.
- Aches that get worse as you run: stop, rest for a few days and restart with easy running only.
Setting a target time
For a first 10K, finishing is a sound goal. If you want a number to aim for, a recent 5K time gives a reasonable estimate through the race time predictor. Most runners slow by around 15 to 20 seconds per kilometre when moving from 5K pace to 10K pace. Start the race a little slower than your target pace and aim to run the second half slightly quicker than the first.
Race day and beyond
The 10K guide covers what the distance feels like and how events are organised, including what to expect at the start and finish. If the 10K goes well and you want a bigger challenge, the half marathon training plan starts from the fitness you will have at the end of this one.