5 Must-Know Tips On How To Train For A 10K Race

Just like with 5K training, the first and most important step is to pick a race and sign up for it. Having a race or goal on the schedule helps with motivation and a hard timeline helps with planning training. One place you can check for local races is findarace.com — just search by the type of race you want to run and where you want to run it!

How many days does it take to train for a 10K?

Typical training for a 10K should take 8-10 weeks, however there may be other factors to consider as well.

• If you've recently completed 5K training and are feeling confident and ready to hop into the next goal, you may not need the full 8-10 weeks.
• If you're feeling fit and conditioned from a previous race, you probably only need 6-8 weeks to train for a 10K.

How do I pace myself for a 10K?

If you've run a few 5Ks and are wondering what goal time to shoot for, there are few tips to figure out where to start. First, it's important to remember that a 10K is twice the distance of a 5K. Whatever your best or most recent 5K time is, you likely cannot hold it for another 3.1 miles. I would recommend doubling your total typical 5K time and adding 3-5 minutes to get your goal time. For example if you recently ran a 25 minute 5K, shoot for a 10K time of 53-55 minutes.

How do beginners train for a 10K run?

Your training plan should look similar to a 5K training plan with 4-5 days a week of running. This should include 1-2 speed workouts, a few easy jogs, and a weekly long run. Just like with 5K training, you never want to do 2 speed workouts back-to-back — it's best to have a rest day or 1-2 easy jog days between speed sessions to allow your muscles to recover and rebuild.

While long runs and easy jogs are relatively self-explanatory, speed workouts can seem ambiguous. Instead of leaving you in the dark, here are two examples of speed sessions you could implement into your training regiment.

Example 1:

• 1 mile jog warm up
• 6-8x 800m (2 laps of a traditional track or ½ of a mile) at a hard but sustainable 7-8/10 effort. Take 2 minutes between each
• 1 mile jog or walk cooldown

Example 2:

• 1 mile jog warm up
• 3 miles steady-hard (also known as tempo pace) at a 6-7/10 effort
• 1 mile walk or jog cooldown

Long runs are the most important part of any training block for races of 5K and up. Like the name suggests, long runs should be your longest run of the week. Depending on your skill and familiarity with distance running, your long runs will vary anywhere from 5 to 12 miles. I would recommend starting with 4-7 miles at the beginning of your training block, adding one half to a full mile every week. If you're running your first 10K, I would start with 4 miles with the end goal of your longest long run to be 8 miles. Yes, that means that your longest long run will be longer than your 10K race, but trust me — this will make the race distance seem doable and way less daunting. If you're a repeat racer (10Ks included), I would recommend starting with a 7-mile-long run and working your way up to 12 miles by the end of your training block.

How do I prep for race day?

To wind down your training, make sure to taper your miles down for at least 10 days before your race. This is where you lower the distance of your longest run over time as you get closer to the actual race, allowing you to properly rest beforehand.

When it comes to race day, the number one thing to remember is: don't go out too fast. While it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a race and rocket off at the starting line, it won't feel good at mile 4. To ensure that you finish within your goal time, try to go out 15-20 seconds slower than your goal pace.

For example, if you have a 55 min goal time, that translates to running an 8:52 mile. I would recommend starting off your first mile at around a 9:10 mile pace and progressing from there. This will help you to finish strong and feeling your best.

Most importantly? Enjoy race day and celebrate finishing your goal!