Many athletes view the 10K run as the happy medium between a 5K and a half marathon. If you’re like many new runners, you might think that you can run it at your 5K pace — but that’s a quick way to wipe yourself out. Trying to tackle a longer distance without training for it specifically is often a recipe for exhaustion.
Experienced runners know that you can’t prepare yourself to reach an optimal 10K — 6.2 mile — run pace by biking or putting in long rounds on the elliptical. And while they can help, even the best running shoes can’t make up for a lack of training. To help you out with your plan, I sat down for a discussion with elite running coach Lee Whitaker. With our assistance, you can assemble the right series of workouts to make a 10K less daunting.
10K Training Plan
When I talked to Whittaker, who designs workout programs for elite runners of all ages and distances and is a top-tier ultra-distance runner himself, he emphasized the importance of strength training in your running routine.
So in addition to training runs, Whitaker also created cross-training workouts for runners that incorporate strength work.
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Many 10K training plans will take about 16 weeks. What follows is a four-week model that you can use as a skeleton to customize your training program as needed (but more on that below).
Each week of this training program includes:
- One complete rest day
- One long run
- One medium run
- One speed run
- One threshold workout
- One recovery run
- One complete rest day
- Two strength training sessions (concurrent with less intense running days)
You do not have to do each of these workouts. One long run, one speed run, and one recovery run along with one weight training session will suffice. Only attempt the full scale of this training program if you are an experienced runner who can handle an eight-mile run in your first week of official 10K prep.
To spend eight or 16 weeks in this training program, reduce the mileage by half or a quarter for each long run. Then, increase the length of time of this training program to an eight- or 16-week program.
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In that case, you’d start week one with a two- or four-mile long run, then a 3-or 4.5-mile long run in week two, etc. Scale back each other workout proportionately as needed.
Week 1
| Day 1 | Long aerobic threshold run (8 miles) |
| Day 2 | Short aerobic recovery run; Strength training (upper body) |
| Day 3 | Speed work (Aerobic power) |
| Day 4 | Medium aerobic run; Strength training (lower body and core) |
| Day 5 | Rest |
| Day 6 | Critical velocity or lactate threshold intervals |
| Day 7 | Short aerobic recovery run |
Week 2
| Day 1 | Long aerobic threshold run (9 miles) |
| Day 2 | Short aerobic recovery run; Strength training (upper body) |
| Day 3 | Speed work (Aerobic power) |
| Day 4 | Medium aerobic run; Strength training (lower body and core) |
| Day 5 | Rest |
| Day 6 | Critical velocity or lactate threshold intervals |
| Day 7 | Short aerobic recovery run |
Week 3
| Day 1 | Long aerobic threshold run (10 to 11 miles) |
| Day 2 | Short aerobic recovery run; Strength training (upper body) |
| Day 3 | Speed work (Aerobic power) |
| Day 4 | Medium aerobic run; Strength training (lower body and core) |
| Day 5 | Rest |
| Day 6 | Critical velocity or lactate threshold intervals |
| Day 7 | Short aerobic recovery run |
Week 4
| Day 1 | Long aerobic threshold run (12 miles) |
| Day 2 | Short aerobic recovery run; Strength training (upper body) |
| Day 3 | Speed work (Aerobic power) |
| Day 4 | Medium aerobic run; Strength training (lower body and core) |
| Day 5 | Rest |
| Day 6 | Critical velocity or lactate threshold intervals |
| Day 7 | Short aerobic recovery run |
Modifications
For beginners and athletes trying to run their first 10K from the starting line to the finish line without stopping, Whitaker says:
“I would advise runners to almost exclusively focus on light aerobic running of two to three continuous miles for maybe the first two weeks, and as many as three rest days early on. After that, they can gradually increase the mileage and reduce the number of rest days to two, and then one.”
How to Train for a 10K
To help you reach your eventual 10K goal pace, you’re going to mix an assortment of different running styles, each of which has a specific aim. Because a 10K run still has a speed component — it’s not a 26-miler, after all — you’re probably going to end up doing speed runs more than you would with marathon training.
Speed Run
On the surface, speed work may not seem like it has a place in a training plan to prepare you for a distance run. But when you’re preparing your body to sustain the fastest race pace you can sustain for 10 kilometers, your training days need to make room for speed.
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“A 10K is still a relatively fast event even though it’s an aerobic event, and a very high percentage of the metabolism involved is aerobic metabolism,” explains Whitaker. “But you’re using that anaerobic system and you’re creating lactate and all the waste products that enter your bloodstream. You have to be able to clear and tolerate lactate at various points in the race to get your best time. You have to be efficient, and that efficiency comes from doing the speed work and training at those intensities in the proper way.”
Long Run
For most runners, 6.2 miles is a distance event. So, you’ll need to build up your aerobic system to run it to the best of your ability. This means you should plan to have lots of longer distance runs on your 10K training schedule.
“Being able to go 60 to 120 minutes is a sweet spot,” says Whitaker. “So when you’re training, it’s way more about the time the body is at that aerobic threshold than the mileage itself.”
Recovery Run
Recovery runs consist of relatively easy runs at a pace that would normally be your warm-up or cool-down speed. Even though you do these runs methodically and easily, they are still an important part of your training plan.
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“I’m a huge fan of active recovery,” Whitaker tells me. “A recovery run is a session of active recovery where we make sure the body’s moving and muscles are getting warm and we’re circulating our blood. It’s also about getting the heart rate up just a little bit and having a little bit more aerobic capacity work done in a way that minimizes the likelihood of injury. Again, this isn’t about the mileage; it’s about the time your body spends in that state.”
Strength Training
Studies suggest that strength training significantly improves VO2 max and running economy over and above what is achievable through running alone. (1) That’s one reason runners regularly include strength training in their workouts.
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“I tend to put the strength training on the shorter aerobic days,” explains Whitaker. “Strength training is great for the prime movers, like the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. It’s also good to train some of the ancillary muscles and the smaller stabilizing muscles. Then I always recommend doing a good bit of core work. Runners use their cores a lot. You can probably put the core just about anywhere in the week; it’s not taxing your lower body and your legs too much.”
Average 10K Times
RunningLevel has compiled an authoritative list of the average 10K running times based on age and experience level. This is an exceptional reference list for you to review to gauge your present level of running skill, and also to motivate you to ascend to greater heights or lower times.
| Average 10K Running Times — Men* | ||||||
| Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite | WR |
| 10 | 01:18:09 | 01:05:53 | 55:45 | 48:48 | 43:43 | 31:30 |
| 15 | 01:07:39 | 56:28 | 48:15 | 42:15 | 37:51 | 27:16 |
| 20 | 01:05:30 | 54:39 | 46:43 | 40:54 | 36:38 | 26:24 |
| 25 | 01:05:30 | 54:39 | 46:43 | 40:54 | 36:38 | 26:24 |
| 30 | 01:05:30 | 54:39 | 46:43 | 40:54 | 36:38 | 26:24 |
| 35 | 01:06:06 | 55:09 | 47:09 | 41:16 | 36:58 | 26:39 |
| 40 | 01:07:58 | 56:43 | 48:29 | 42:26 | 38:01 | 27:24 |
| 45 | 01:10:43 | 59:01 | 50:26 | 44:10 | 39:33 | 28:30 |
| 50 | 01:13:42 | 01:01:30 | 52:34 | 46:01 | 41:14 | 29:43 |
| 55 | 01:16:57 | 01:04:13 | 54:53 | 48:03 | 43:03 | 31:01 |
| 60 | 01:20:30 | 01:07:11 | 57:25 | 50:16 | 45:02 | 32:27 |
| 65 | 01:24:23 | 01:10:25 | 01:00:11 | 52:42 | 47:12 | 34:01 |
| 70 | 01:28:40 | 01:14:00 | 01:03:15 | 55:22 | 49:36 | 35:45 |
| 75 | 01:34:32 | 01:18:53 | 01:07:26 | 59:02 | 52:53 | 38:06 |
| 80 | 01:43:56 | 01:26:45 | 01:14:08 | 01:04:54 | 58:08 | 41:54 |
| 85 | 01:58:54 | 01:39:14 | 01:24:49 | 01:14:15 | 01:06:31 | 47:56 |
| 90 | 02:24:04 | 02:00:14 | 01:42:45 | 01:29:58 | 01:20:35 | 58:04 |
| Beginner | Faster than 5% of runners. A beginner runner has started running and has run for at least a month. |
| Novice | Faster than 20% of runners. A novice runner has run regularly for at least six months. |
| Intermediate | Faster than 50% of runners. An intermediate runner has run regularly for at least two years. |
| Advanced | Faster than 80% of runners. An advanced runner has run for over five years. |
| Elite | Faster than 95% of runners. An elite runner has dedicated over five years to become competitive at running. |
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Here are the stats for the women’s category.
| Average 10K Running Times — Women | ||||||
| Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite | WR |
| 10 | 01:28:35 | 01:15:13 | 01:05:03 | 57:26 | 51:44 | 35:40 |
| 15 | 01:18:52 | 01:06:58 | 57:55 | 51:07 | 46:03 | 31:45 |
| 20 | 01:13:58 | 01:02:48 | 54:19 | 47:57 | 43:12 | 29:47 |
| 25 | 01:13:49 | 01:02:40 | 54:13 | 47:51 | 43:06 | 29:43 |
| 30 | 01:13:58 | 01:02:48 | 54:19 | 47:57 | 43:12 | 29:47 |
| 35 | 01:14:53 | 01:03:35 | 55:00 | 48:33 | 43:44 | 30:09 |
| 40 | 01:16:43 | 01:05:08 | 56:20 | 49:44 | 44:48 | 30:53 |
| 45 | 01:19:34 | 01:07:33 | 58:26 | 51:35 | 46:28 | 32:02 |
| 50 | 01:23:41 | 01:11:03 | 01:01:27 | 54:15 | 48:52 | 33:41 |
| 55 | 01:28:40 | 01:15:17 | 01:05:07 | 57:29 | 51:47 | 35:42 |
| 60 | 01:34:18 | 01:20:04 | 01:09:15 | 01:01:08 | 55:04 | 37:58 |
| 65 | 01:40:42 | 01:25:30 | 01:13:57 | 01:05:16 | 58:48 | 40:32 |
| 70 | 01:48:01 | 01:31:43 | 01:19:20 | 01:10:01 | 01:03:05 | 43:29 |
| 75 | 01:56:29 | 01:38:54 | 01:25:33 | 01:15:31 | 01:08:01 | 46:54 |
| 80 | 02:08:29 | 01:49:06 | 01:34:22 | 01:23:18 | 01:15:02 | 51:44 |
| 85 | 02:28:44 | 02:06:17 | 01:49:14 | 01:36:25 | 01:26:51 | 59:53 |
| 90 | 03:04:58 | 02:37:02 | 02:15:50 | 01:59:54 | 01:48:00 | 01:14:28 |
| Beginner | Faster than 5% of runners. A beginner runner has started running and has run for at least a month. |
| Novice | Faster than 20% of runners. A novice runner has run regularly for at least six months. |
| Intermediate | Faster than 50% of runners. An intermediate runner has run regularly for at least two years. |
| Advanced | Faster than 80% of runners. An advanced runner has run for over five years. |
| Elite | Faster than 95% of runners. An elite runner has dedicated over five years to become competitive at running. |
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There isn’t enough widespread data currently available on nonbinary runners. But, if they choose, athletes can decide to average times for their age group and experience level, or simply select the time they’re aiming to get to based on their goals and athleticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about how to structure a 10K training plan? The answers below will help you start off on the right foot.
How long does it take to see results from a 10K training plan?
Whitaker suggests that you should begin to feel some noticeable improvements in your body conditioning after two weeks of training.
What should my weekly mileage be when training for a 10K race?
According to Whitaker, it’s less about mileage and more about spending a certain amount of time in the aerobic or anaerobic training zones. For example, Whitaker says a recovery run can be anywhere from two to six miles depending on time and the runner’s comfort level. Therefore, weekly mileage can range from 10 to 40 miles.
How long does it take to train for a 10K race as a beginner?
Whitaker cautions that most distance running coaches will identify 16 weeks as the necessary time for a runner — especially at the beginning of their journey — to achieve their full potential during any c. You can feel free to modify the above four-week workout plan by scaling down the initial weeks and using the first few weeks to gradually scale up.
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
References
- Prieto-González P, Sedlacek J. Effects of Running-Specific Strength Training, Endurance Training, and Concurrent Training on Recreational Endurance Athletes’ Performance and Selected Anthropometric Parameters. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 29;19(17):10773.
