Official · 10K · IMPROVE

Improve Your 10K

This 8-week structured 10K plan typically schedules 4 runs per week and progressively develops endurance and distance-specific fitness through easy running, quality work and long runs.

Paces below are VDOT 40 examples, not your training paces. After sign-in, reliable capability data is used; Target also requires a goal race.

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Week 1

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Threshold Cruise Intervals 3x6

Warm-up10m×3Work6mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 3 repeats of 6 minutes at comfortably-hard threshold effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should feel controlled and comfortably hard - you can say only a few words at a time.

RPE 6–7 · 5:06–5:20 min/km

Long Easy Run 50

Warm-up5mWork50mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 50 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 2

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Interval Repeats 5x3

Warm-up10m×5Work3mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 5 repeats of 3 minutes at fast-but-controlled interval effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should be too hard to talk but controlled and repeatable, not all-out.

RPE 7–8 · 4:36–4:47 min/km

Long Easy Run 60

Warm-up5mWork1hCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 60 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 3

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Threshold Cruise Intervals 3x6

Warm-up10m×3Work6mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 3 repeats of 6 minutes at comfortably-hard threshold effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should feel controlled and comfortably hard - you can say only a few words at a time.

RPE 6–7 · 5:06–5:20 min/km

Long Easy Run 60

Warm-up5mWork1hCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 60 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 4

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Interval Repeats 5x3

Warm-up10m×5Work3mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 5 repeats of 3 minutes at fast-but-controlled interval effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should be too hard to talk but controlled and repeatable, not all-out.

RPE 7–8 · 4:36–4:47 min/km

Long Easy Run 70

Warm-up5mWork70mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 70 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 5

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Threshold Cruise Intervals 4x6

Warm-up10m×4Work6mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 4 repeats of 6 minutes at comfortably-hard threshold effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should feel controlled and comfortably hard - you can say only a few words at a time.

RPE 6–7 · 5:06–5:20 min/km

Long Easy Run 70

Warm-up5mWork70mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 70 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 6

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Interval Repeats 6x3

Warm-up10m×6Work3mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 6 repeats of 3 minutes at fast-but-controlled interval effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should be too hard to talk but controlled and repeatable, not all-out.

RPE 7–8 · 4:36–4:47 min/km

Long Easy Run 70

Warm-up5mWork70mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 70 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 7

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Threshold Cruise Intervals 3x6

Warm-up10m×3Work6mRecovery2mCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run 3 repeats of 6 minutes at comfortably-hard threshold effort with 2 minutes of easy jog recovery between each, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. The work should feel controlled and comfortably hard - you can say only a few words at a time.

RPE 6–7 · 5:06–5:20 min/km

Long Easy Run 50

Warm-up5mWork50mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 50 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed and finish with energy to spare.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Week 8

Easy Run

Warm-up5mWork30mCool-down5m

Run easy and conversational for about 30 minutes, with a 5-minute easy warm-up and 5-minute easy cool-down. Keep the effort relaxed enough to speak in full sentences throughout.

RPE 3–4 · 5:51–6:59 min/km

Easy Run with Strides

Warm-up5mWork20m×4Work20sRecovery1mCool-down5m

Run easy for 20 minutes, then do 4 short, relaxed 20-second accelerations with about 60 seconds of easy jogging between each, and cool down easy for 5 minutes. The accelerations should be smooth and controlled, never a sprint, with full recovery between.

RPE 6–7

Final 10K

Warm-up10mWork10kmCool-down10m

Warm up easy for 10 minutes, then run a controlled 10K at a sustainable current-capability race effort, and cool down easy for 10 minutes. Do not chase a goal time; run at the effort your current fitness supports.

RPE 7–8 · 4:54–5:06 min/km