The Intermediate 10k running training plan is for runners with a history of consistently running 25-35miles/week of training. You should have a good experience of running 1-2 quality training sessions per week including intervals, hill running training, tempo/threshold training and have completed adequate aerobic base training including regular long runs.
Below the Intermediate 10k training plan is information about target paces, recovery periods and target heart rates for each session.
The intermediate 10k plan can be run as either an 8-week plan, or, 12-week plan if you complete the initial 4-week conditioning phase.
Intermediate 10k Training Plan: Phase 1 (Conditioning Phase)
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
| Mon | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Tues | 4 x 6mins Threshold pace, 2min jog rec | 8 x 2mins at 5k pace, 90sec jog rec | 6 x 4mins 10k pace, 90sec jog rec | 10 x 45sec (Mile/3k pace), 75-90sec easy jog rec |
| Wed | 30-35mins easy | 25-30mins easy, or, REST. | 30-35mins easy | REST DAY |
| Thur | 40-45mins inc 8x 30sec hills | 45-50mins steady | 40-45mins inc 10x 30sec hills | 45-50mins steady |
| Fri | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Sat | 40-45mins steady | 4 x 6mins 10k-Threshold pace, 90sec jog rec | *45mins Mixed pace run | 4 x 6mins 10k-Threshold pace, 60sec jog rec |
| Sun | 65-75mins easy pace | 75-85mins easy pace | 85-90mins easy pace | 65-70mins easy pace |
*Mixed pace run: 5mins easy, 15mins steady, 10mins threshold, 10mins steady, 5mins easy
Intermediate 10k Training Plan: Phase 2 (Main Training Phase Part A)
| Day | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 |
| Mon | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Tues | 5 x 5mins 10k pace, 2min jog rec | 6 x 2:00 at 3k pace, 2:00 jog rec | 4 x 6 mins 10k pace, 2min jog rec | 10 x 60sec (Mile/3k pace), 90-120sec easy jog rec |
| Wed | 35-45mins easy/steady | 30-40mins easy, or, REST. | 40-45mins easy/steady | REST DAY |
| Thur | 45-50mins inc 8x 45sec hills | 45-55mins steady | 45-50mins inc 10x 45sec hills | 45-55mins steady |
| Fri | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Sat | *50mins mixed pace run | 3 x 8mins at 10k-Threshold pace, 2-3min rec | *50mins mixed pace run | **3 x 8mins at 10k-Threshold pace, 2-3min rec |
| Sun | 85-90mins easy | 75-80mins easy | 85-90mins easy | 70-75mins easy |
*Mixed pace run: 3 x (5mins easy, 5mins steady, 5mins threshold) + 5mins easy cool down
**Session can be switched to 5k race.
Intermediate 10k Training Plan: Phase 3 (Main Training Phase Part B)
| Day | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 |
| Mon | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Tues | *6 x 4 mins 10k pace, 75sec jog rec | 5 x 2:30mins at 3k pace, 2:30mins jog rec | *5 x 5 mins 10k pace, 90sec jog rec | 6 x 60s (mile/3k pace), 120sec jog rec |
| Wed | 40-45mins easy/steady | 30-40mins easy, or, REST. | 35-45mins easy/steady | 25-30mins easy/steady |
| Thur | 45-50mins inc 10x 45sec hills | 45-55mins steady | 45-50mins inc 8x 45sec hills | 5 x 90s at 10k pace, 60sec jog rec |
| Fri | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY | REST DAY |
| Sat | **50mins progression run | 5k Race | ***45mins mixed pace run | 10-15mins easy including 3-4 x 15sec strides |
| Sun | 85-95mins easy | 80-90mins easy | 65-70mins easy | 10k Race |
*10k pace intervals for weeks 9 and 11 should be run 1-2% faster than 10k pace.
**50mins progression: 5mins easy, 10mins easy/steady, 10mins steady, 20min tempo pace (half marathon pace) + 5mins easy cool down
***45minutes mixed pace run: 2 x (5mins easy, 10mins steady, 5mins threshold) + 5mins easy cool down
Intermediate 10k plan pacing, recovery and warm up cool down information:
- 1) 10k pace intervals: Run intervals at 10k pace (slightly quicker than 10k pace in weeks 9 and 11). The following pages provide information on: >> 10k pace running intervals and pace targets for >> 10k pace intervals and recoveries.
- 2) 5k pace intervals: Run at around current 5k pace, recoveries should be easy enough to allow you to maintain the interval pace.
- 3) 3k – mile intervals: use current 3k-mile race pace, or, alternatively use an online race pace calculator to estimate these. To maintain the quality of intervals, keep recoveries very easy.
- 4) 10k-Threshold pace intervals: aim for a pace between 10k pace and 60min race pace. Take 2-3minutes of easy recovery between intervals.
- 5) Threshold Pace: aim for a pace that you could sustain for approximately 50-60minutes in a race. For most runners this is slightly slower than 10k pace.
- 6) Tempo Pace: between 60min race pace and half marathon pace – ideally nearer to half marathon pace.
- 7) Hills: 30-45 sec hill efforts at around 80-85% max effort (fast but not flat out) with an easy jog down recovery between efforts. Ideally the hills should be run on a gradient of approximately 4-6%. Include 4 x 10 accelerations before running the hills – run the accelerations up the hill you will be using for the hill reps. Include a good 15mins war up before hills and 5-10mins cool down.
- 8) Strides: gradually build the pace during the strides so that you are running at about 80-85% effort over the final 5seconds.
- 9) Warm-up/cool-down for intervals and faster sessions: 1-2miles warm-up and cool down for all interval, hill and tempo training. Include mobility and dynamic warm up exercises, drills and accelerations as part of the warm up.
- 10) Steady pace: Approximately 75-80% HRmax
- 11) Easy/Steady: Approximately 70-80% HRmax – if tired keep nearer to easy pace, if feeling well recovered then keep intensity nearer to steady.
- 12) Easy: Approximately 70-75% HRmax
- 13) Easy/Recovery: 65-75% HRmax