In an ideal world you’ll always have at least a couple of months to prepare for a 10K race, but we don’t live in an ideal world and sometimes you need to get ready for race-day in double quick time. That could because you made a late decision to enter a race or were too busy (or simply couldn’t be bothered – hey, we’re all human here) to start your 10K training any earlier.
Either way, preparing for a 10K in only six weeks means using an accelerated training plan that involves packing in some tough sessions to make up for the lack of time.
This six-week plan from Siobhan Rootes, who was head coach at Odlo Run Club in 2017 when she shared this plan, requires a certain degree of fitness – it’s not for someone who currently isn’t running at all.
Ideally you should already be running two to three times a week and looking for a running training plan that will get you in peak condition quickly to attempt a PB at your 10K.
The Types Of Run In This Training Plan
The plan involves a mix of different types of runs, with the effort required on each broken up into different levels – mainly easy, threshold and hard. Each week involves four to five runs.
Long runs require you to maintain the same pace throughout, progression runs involve upping your effort levels in stages, and intervals sessions involve mixing up the pace or tackling hill sprints during the run. The key for each is to make sure you’re working as hard as the plan suggests.
Easy runs should be done at a pace where you can hold a conversation comfortably. It will feel very slow, but it helps to build endurance while also allowing the body to recover from more intense sessions.
Threshold runs require running at a pace where you can only manage to speak three or four words at a time – it’s tough and you’re breathing hard, but you’re in control. These runs build your VO2 max, helping you to work at close to your maximum level of effort for longer – exactly what you need to maintain your race pace for a 10K.
Hard efforts push you to the max and cannot be sustained for long, making them best suited to interval runs. Rest assured you won’t be trying to maintain this level for an entire 10K. These will build your overall speed.
10K Training Plan: Week 1
| Monday | 30-40min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 10x90sec hard effort, 60sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | 10min easy, then 5x5min threshold effort, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Saturday | 30min easy |
| Sunday | 60min easy |
10K Training Plan: Week 2
| Monday | 40min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 12x45sec fast hills, walk/jog back down the hill to recover. 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | 10min easy, then 5x6min threshold effort, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Saturday | 5k/parkrun at target 10K pace |
| Sunday | 70min easy |
10K Training Plan: Week 3
| Monday | 45min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 5x3min hard effort, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | 10min easy, then 5x7min threshold effort, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Saturday | 5k/parkrun at target 10K pace |
| Sunday | 80min easy |
10K Training Plan: Week 4
| Monday | 45min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 5x3min continuous hills – threshold effort up and down, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | 40min run with the last 20min at threshold effort |
| Saturday | 5k/parkrun at target 10K pace |
| Sunday | 90min easy |
10K Training Plan: Week 5
| Monday | 45min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 4x1 mile efforts at 10K pace, 90sec jog recovery between efforts. 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | Progression run 15min easy, then 15min steady (around the pace you would do a marathon in), then 15min threshold |
| Saturday | 30min easy |
| Sunday | 75min easy |
10K Training Plan: Week 6
| Monday | 40min easy run or rest |
| Tuesday | Rest and stretch |
| Wednesday | 10min easy, then 5min, 4min, 3min, 2min, 1min efforts, increasing the effort each time. Jog for 90sec between efforts to recover. Start at threshold for 5min, increasing to hard efforts by the end, 5min easy afterwards |
| Thursday | Rest and stretch |
| Friday | Progression run 15min easy, 15min steady, 15min at target 10K pace |
| Saturday | 20min very easy |
| Sunday | Race day |
