RW's 4-Week 10K Schedule, 6-7 Days Per Week

Only a month to train for your 10K? Here's the solution

Posted: 6 May 2000
by Sean Fishpool and Bud Baldaro

Four weeks is long enough to improve your fitness and put a little edge of speed in your legs. There are three schedule options here: one for runners who can spare three days a week to train; one for five days a week; and one for six or seven days a week. Each option loosely relates to a range of target 10K times, and these are shown at the top of each schedule. The most basic option does assume you’re already running a minimum of three times and 16-20 miles a week, so if you’ve never run before but you’re committed to running a 10K in four weeks’ time you’d be best to simply focus on building up the length of your runs rather than following the more speed-orientated structure of these schedules.

Two key things to remember:

  1. The sessions aren’t set in stone. Be flexible with speeds and distances where you need to, especially if you start to feel tired all the time.
  2. Feel free to change the order of the sessions to fit in with your daily schedule. Just be sure to follow the basic principle of not scheduling hard sessions back-to-back.

(Approx 35- to 45-minute 10K)
  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week 1 5-6M at 80% max 2M warm-up, then 6 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m jog recoveries, then 2M cool-down 5-7M easy, inc strides 2M easy, 2M fast, but not 100% Rest 60 mins mixed fartlek 8M easy
Week 2 5-6M with gradual acceleration 2M warm-up, then 5 x 1000m or 3 mins, with 400m jog recoveries, then 2M cool-down 5M easy, inc hills 7M easy Rest Warm up, then pyramids: 2 x 2, 3, 4 mins at 80% with same recovery, then cool down 9-10M easy
Week 3 5M strides 2M warm-up, then 5 x 1200m or 3 mins, with 400m jog recoveries, then 2M cool-down 5M very easy, OR rest 30-40 mins light fartlek, with short efforts (30, 40, 50 secs) Rest Warm up, then 4 x 400m with 400m jog recoveries, then 10-min cool-down 10-12M easy
Week 4 4-5M easy 2M warm-up, then 4 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m jog recoveries, then 2M cool-down 6-7M easy 6M steady Rest 4-5M easy, inc a few strides RACE
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Discuss this article


tea
I would like to start the 4 weeks training schedule to improve my 10km.
My PB is 44min40 done in November last year and now I aim to have a 43 min - is it realistic?
In the schedule there is the "M" - does it mean "miles"?
Then you have the interval training on Tuesday but you don't speak about how fast we need to run the 6 x 800 m - should it be my aim time for my 10 km? which would be 14km/h - I think.
what are strides and what does "mixed fartlek" mean? sorry for so many question but not being English doesn't make it easier for me.
I love doing my weight training but I don't know if I can do it during this 4 weeks training - what do you think?
THANKA
nassera
Posted: 05/01/2005 at 15:21


colin barton 2
the training program will certainly help get your times down i have just got my personal best from 45min down to 42mins using this program

yes 'm' does stand for miles

during interval training you push has hard as you can for the time or distance given
and then slow down to jog or walk for recovery

strides are just the distance between your feet it means to open up or stretch out

fartlek running is your normal running pace but you add a few sprints and then jogs for recovery as and when you feel you can and these sprints also last as long as you want without tiring yourself out

your weighjt training can continue as normal as running really only works your legs and lungs

hope this helps
Posted: 06/01/2005 at 09:09


tea
Merci Colin! it was a big help.I will start next week and will do the most of my training in the gym because I still have a cold. But I will do my best to improve my time...a nice to start l'annee!
tea
Posted: 06/01/2005 at 09:54


Tony McGann
I am hoping to use this plan to build for my first 10 K race (May 21). My gola is reall yjust to finish, which I know I can do and have perhaps a sub 55 mins time. I am pretty much a running newcomer with a background in rugby and football. That makes me larger framed than your typical runner.

I find it unusual that the program requires a 9-12 mile easy runs on weekends. For a 10 K race, this seems like overkil to me. Assuming this is an endurance builder in the program. In my opinion, if I was running 10-12 miles on a weekend, I'd shoot for a half marathon. Perhaps naively.

I currently run about 25 miles per week. Guessing I'd run a 55 minute 10K. At that pace my easy 10 mile run might take me almost 2 hours. Is this the idea?

Ultimtely, I think I'd like to work towards a half and possibly a full marathon. Just to say I did it. By the way I'm 43 years old.
Posted: 28/04/2005 at 14:15


Tony McGann
OK, just saw the error of my way. Need to be looking at the 40-50 minute schedule for my plan. That's more like it.
Posted: 28/04/2005 at 14:20


CHRIS CATT 2
Hello, iv been training for 10k races which i'm competeing in at the end of october 2005 i then have another 10k race the sunday after. can any suggest what sort of sessions i would need to do with in the week up to the second race? im not sure wheather to run the forth week again or go back to the fist. any suggestions?

P.S this is for a sub 38min 10k.

Thanks

Chris
Posted: 15/10/2005 at 17:13


rob james 5
i dont really train but i want to do some training to get a good time i got a 41.21 last 10k how much could i improve on this time following this training schedule.
Posted: 29/09/2009 at 21:32

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