10k Running Plan Intermediate Level

If you’ve already completed several 10K runs, you know what it takes to succeed. This intermediate 10K training plan focuses on increasing mileage and intensity to help you set a new personal best.

Week 1

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	30-40min easy run Zone 2
Wednesday	Easy cross train 30-40min or jog 30min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Easy jog 30min zone 2
Saturday	Rest
Sunday	Long run 8km zone 2

Week 2

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Interval session: 1min, 2min, 3min, 2min, 1min efforts zone 4 with 2min jog or walk recoveries after each. Aim to run 3min effort at 5km to 10km pace feel with all other efforts a bit faster as you feel.
Wednesday	Easy cross train 30-40min or jog 30min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Easy jog 30min zone 2
Saturday	5km race, time trial or parkrun zone 4-5. Long warm down 5-7km zone 2. Total up to 12km.
Sunday	Easy cross train 30-50min

Week 3

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Tempo run: 30-40min run including a tempo run within your run. For a 10min section during this run, push the pace so you’re puffing steadily and can’t maintain a conversation zone 4. Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2.
Wednesday	Easy cross train 30-40min or jog 30-40min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Interval session: 6-8 x 1min efforts zone 4-5 with 1min slow jog recovery. Start first rep @ 5km pace (so use the pace from your race or ParkRun last Sat) and aim to get faster over last 2-3 reps
Saturday	Easy walk or cross train 30-50min
Sunday	Long run: 12km zone 2

Week 4

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Combination hills: 2-3 x (2min hill @ 10km pace “feel” zone 4 (slow jog down); 30sec hill faster zone 4-5 (slow jog down)). Can take an extra 1-2min jog between sets
Wednesday	Easy jog 35-50min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Interval session: 4min, 3min, 2min, 1min efforts zone 4-5 with 2min very slow jog recovery after each then 6 x 30sec fast efforts zone 4-5 with 30sec jog after each. Start @ 10km pace for the 4min effort and get faster as the interval duration gets shorter.
Saturday	Easy walk or cross train 30-50min
Sunday	Long run 12-15km zone 2

Week 5

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Interval session: 6 x 2min efforts zone 4-5 with 90sec jog after each. For each 2min effort aim to run the first 1min at 10km pace feel then surge last 1min.
Wednesday	Easy jog 35-50min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Easy jog 20min zone 2 then stop briefly (quick stretch) then 4-6 x 80m strides a little faster then 5km pace zone 3-4 (but not flat out sprinting). Walk back after each. Easy jog 5min at the end zone 2.
Saturday	5km race, training effort or ParkRun zone 4-5 (do this @ about 10km pace feel first 3km then very hard last 2km – try to negative split). Long warm down zone 2 so all up today should total up to 15km.
Sunday	Easy walk 50-70min or other cross training

Week 6

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	30-40min run zone 2(no session today – take it easy)
Wednesday	Easy jog 45-60min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Interval session: 1200m effort @ 10km pace feel zone 3-4 (2min jog); 5-6 x 400m efforts faster as you feel zone 4-5 (1min jog after each, take 2-3min jog after the last rep); 1200m effort back to your starting pace.
Saturday	Rest day or easy walk 45-60min
Sunday	Long run 15km zone 2-3

Week 7

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Tempo run: 35-50min run where you run easy for 10min zone 2 then 3-4 x 4min efforts at about half marathon pace feel zone 3-4. Take 2:30min jog after each. Try to run faster in the 3rd rep. Rest of your run is slow jogging zone 2.
Wednesday	Easy jog 45-60min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Hills: 8-10 x 50sec hills aiming for about 5km pace “feel” zone 4-5 (so not actual pace as you’re running uphill, actual pace will be slower so important we aim for effort here). Very slow jog down recovery. Try to make your last hill, your fastest.
Saturday	Rest day or easy walk or cross train 50-70min
Sunday	Long run: 15-18km zone 2-3

Week 8

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Strides/ tempo run/ strides. 40-50min run where somewhere within your run you run 6min @ half marathon pace feel zone 3 (or slower) then 1min easy then 6min of 15sec fast stride zone 3-4 (5km pace feel)/15sec slow jog then 1min easy then 6min tempo run zone 3-4 (similar pace as first part). Rest of your run is slow jogging zone 2
Wednesday	Easy jog 45-60min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Hills: 10-12 x 30-40sec hills hard zone 4-5 (slow jog down recovery)
Saturday	Rest
Sunday	Long run 15-18km zone 2-3

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Week 9

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Tempo run: 35-50min run where you run 10min easy zone 2 then: 2-3 x 8min tempo run efforts zone 3-4 with 2min jog recovery. Within each 8min try to run as a mini progression. Start not much faster then jogging first 3min then next 3min, pick up the pace but within yourself then last 2min solid as you feel.
Wednesday	Easy jog 45-60min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Interval session: 2 sets of (3min, 2min, 1min, 30sec efforts zone 4-5 with 90sec very slow jog recovery after each). Start at 5km pace for 3min efforts and get faster as reps get shorter. Take 3min rest between sets (standing recovery or slow jog).
Saturday	Rest day or easy walk or cross train 50-70min
Sunday	Long run 17-20km zone 2-3 (longest run of the program)

Week 10

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Fartlek session: 7 x (30sec at 10km pace feel zone 3-4 then 2:30min moderate jog). Keep surging / slowing down like this for 21min.
Wednesday	Easy jog 35-50min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Easy jog 20-30min zone 2. At the end of your run do 4-6 x 80m strides at 5km pace feel zone 3-4. Walk back after each.
Saturday	Park Run – solid effort today zone 4-5. Can do a longer warm down to total 12-15km zone 2 all up for today
Sunday	Rest

Week 11

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Easy jog 20min zone 2 then 2 x (7min of 15sec fast stride zone 3-4 (5km pace feel or faster)/ 15sec slow jog). Take 2-3min jog between sets. Easy jog 5min zone 2 cool down.
Wednesday	Easy jog 35-50min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Interval session: 5 x 3min efforts zone 4-5 with 90sec slow jog recovery after each. Even 3min efforts @ 5km pace with other reps marginally slower. The “faster” 3min efforts can be quite hard but keep the slower efforts the same.
Saturday	Rest
Sunday	Long run: 10-12km zone 2-3

Week 12 Taper week

Day	Workout
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	20-30min easy run zone 2. OR optional session: 3 x 2min efforts at 10km pace feel zone 3-4 with 90sec jog after each then 3 x 20sec fast strides zone 3-4 with 40sec jog after each.
Wednesday	Easy jog 20min zone 2
Thursday	Rest
Friday	Easy jog 10-15min zone 2 + 4 x 80m efforts @ 10km pace zone 3-4 so nice and relaxed. Walk back after each. Optional jog 5-10min cool down.
Saturday	Rest
Sunday	10km race

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10k Running Plan Intermediate Level

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Polar Vantage M3

Smart Multi-Sport Watch

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12 Taper week

10k Running Plan Intermediate Level

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Polar Vantage M3

Smart Multi-Sport Watch

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12 Taper week

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