10K Training Plan for Beginners

12 weeks·3 days / wk·10k·beginner

Weeks: 12
Sessions: 36
Peak week: 14 mi; week 10
Long run: 5.5 mi; week 7
Taper: 2 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume a beginner runner (VDOT 31). Enter a recent race to personalise them.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: run/walk to continuous runningLong run 3.5 mi	3 · 1 key	8.5 mi	Long run 3.5 mi
Tue Oct 6 Run/walk 9 × (2 min + 1 min) 2 mi 5 min brisk walk 9 × 2 min run / 1 min walk · run at 12:00–13:10/mi or slower 4 × 15 s strides · relaxed and quick, walk back 5 min walk Thu Oct 8 Run/walk 13 × (2 min + 1 min) 3 mi 5 min brisk walk 13 × 2 min run / 1 min walk · run at 12:00–13:10/mi or slower 5 min walk Sun Oct 11 Long run/walk 15 × (2 min + 1 min) 3.5 mi 5 min brisk walk 15 × 2 min run / 1 min walk · run at 12:00–13:10/mi or slower 5 min walk
Weeks 2–12 locked Unlock the full plan. Every session, every week Paces and loads from your numbers PDF, calendar and Garmin export Re-plans when you miss a key session Billing period$79 / year$14 / month Annual works out at $6.58 a month Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel any time
02	Base: run/walk to continuous runningLong run 4 mi	3 · 1 key	9 mi	Long run 4 mi
03	Base: run/walk to continuous runningLong run 4.5 mi	3 · 1 key	9.5 mi	Long run 4.5 mi
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 3.5 mi	3 · 1 key	8 mi	Long run 3.5 mi
05	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 3.5 mi	3 · 2 key	10 mi	Long run 3.5 mi
06	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 4.5 mi	3 · 2 key	11 mi	Long run 4.5 mi
07	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 5.5 mi	3 · 2 key	12 mi	Long run 5.5 mi
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 4.5 mi	3 · 1 key	10 mi	Long run 4.5 mi
09	Peak: 10K-specific paceLong run 4 mi	3 · 2 key	13 mi	Long run 4 mi
10	Peak: 10K-specific paceLong run 5 mi	3 · 2 key	14 mi	Long run 5 mi
11	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 5.5 mi	3 · 2 key	12.5 mi	Long run 5.5 mi
12	Race week — 10KRace 6 mi	3 · 1 key	4 mi	Race 6 mi

Your paces

Easy / long: 12:00–13:10/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 10:46/mi
Threshold (T): 10:03/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 9:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 8:55/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
10K race pace: 9:59/mifinish 1:02:05

The numbers

About this plan

This 10k training plan for beginners opens with 8.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 14 mi in week 10. Halfway, week 6 carries 11 mi with a 4.5 mi long run. That is 122 mi over 36 runs for a beginner 10K runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (8 mi) and week 8 (10 mi).

The long run tops out at 5.5 mi in week 7; 6 key sessions include 6 interval workouts. Easy running at 12:00–13:10/mi (VDOT 31) makes up 68% of the 122 mi. The first 3 weeks alternate running with one-minute walks; by week 4 the 10K runs are continuous.

The 2-week taper takes race week to 4 mi, 71% under week 10's 14 mi, after 122 mi. On these numbers the 10K projects to 1:02:05, 9:59/mi from start to finish, off a 14-mi peak.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 8.5 mi: Tuesday — run/walk 9 × (2 min + 1 min); Thursday — run/walk 13 × (2 min + 1 min), 3 mi; Sunday — long run/walk 15 × (2 min + 1 min), 3.5 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (8.5–9.5 mi), build weeks 5–7 (10–12 mi), peak weeks 9–10 (13–14 mi), taper week 11 (12.5 mi) and race week 12 (4 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 10k training plan for beginners?

8.5 mi in week 1, 11 mi by week 6 and 14 mi at the peak, week 10: 122 mi total.

What pace are the easy runs on this 12-week 10K plan?

12:00–13:10/mi at VDOT 31, for 68% of 122 mi.

What is the longest run in the 10k training plan for beginners?

5.5 mi in week 7, up from 3.5 mi in week 1.

Does the 10k training plan for beginners work with 4 runs a week?

48 runs instead of 36: switch to 4 days and the 5.5-mi long run stays.

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