Okay, you're itching to run a race. If signing up for a 5-K wouldn't light a fire under your butt and running a half-marathon seems like too big of a commitment, then it's time to try a 10-K. At 6.2 miles, it's just long enough to be a training-worthy challenge—and if you haven't raced the distance before, you'll notch an instant personal best.
"The 10-K has its own allure because you can train for the distance with little disruption to your life," says Kim Maxwell, a running coach based near Minneapolis and founder of Kim Maxwell Fitness. "Plus, a 10-K race has elements of both speed and endurance."
Maxwell designed 10-K training plans (one for beginners and one for intermediate runners) that will get you race-ready in just seven weeks. Each plan calls for four days of running per week, plus one day of optional cross-training.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a race, pick your plan, and start training!
Your Goal: Finish the race
Your Plan: Beginner 10-K plan
Overview: Runs start at 15 minutes long. Most of the weekday runs take less than 30 minutes, and the longest run tops out at 5 miles. "Once you hit a weekly long run of four or five miles, you can take on a 10-K and finish with a smile on your face," says Maxwell.
Your Goal: Improve your race time
Your Plan: Intermediate 10-K plan
Overview: Weekday runs are 3 to 4 miles long and they include one day of speedwork, or faster running. "It's important to practice your goal race pace in training so your muscles learn the 'feel' of that pace," says Maxwell. "Your body will start to understand the demands placed on it at that pace and make adaptations that are crucial for when you want to go for that PR." The longest long run is 7 miles, 0.8 miles longer than the race. "Running longer than the goal race distance is important to improve stamina, which in turn increases confidence," says Maxwell. It also allows you to practice hydrating over the entire race distance and create a race strategy.
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