EASY FIRST 10K - A 10K TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NEW RUNNERS

By Rick Morris

Easy First 10K Training Program

This is an 8-week 10K training program that is designed to prepare you to finish a 10K race. This 10K training program will prepare you finish a 10K and run the entire distance. It is not intended to train you to run a fast 10K or to improve your speed. You should be able to run comfortably for 3 miles before starting this program. If you have not run before, complete the 8-week beginners program before starting this program. If you have some experience running, but cannot run 3 miles, either slowly build up to 3 miles or complete Your First 5K program before starting this program.

This 10K training program is general in nature. Feel free to make adjustments in order to accommodate scheduling conflicts and individual goals and rate of improvement.

The Workouts

All workouts in this 10K training program are easy runs. Easy runs should be run at a pace that feels fairly comfortable. You should be breathing hard, but should be able to carry on a conversation. If you are breathing so hard that you cannot talk, you are running too hard. If you can sing, you are running too easily.

Week 1

• Monday - Rest. Rest is an important part of any training program.
• Tuesday - Run 2 miles easy. Run at an easy “conversational” pace.
• Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy. Run at an easy pace.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train. Rest or engage in a non-running activity.
• Friday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Saturday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 3.25 miles easy.

Week 2

• Monday - Rest. This program uses Monday as a rest day, because Sunday is your longest run of the week. You can adjust this to meet your needs, but take off the day after your longest weekly run.
• Tuesday - Run 3.5 miles easy. You add a quarter mile to your previous longest run. You will make some additional increases later in the program.
• Wednesday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 3.5 miles easy.
• Saturday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 3.75 miles easy. Another small increase for this workout.

Week 3

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 3.75 miles easy.
• Wednesday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Saturday – Run 3.5 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 4 miles easy. You make another increase in mileage here. You are running over half of the 10K. A 10K is 6.2 miles.

Week 4

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 3.75 miles easy.
• Wednesday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 4.5 miles easy. Another small increase here.
• Saturday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 4.5 miles easy.

Week 5

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 4.75 miles easy.
• Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Saturday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 5 miles easy. Keep your pace nice and easy. You should be able to talk as you are running.

Week 6

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 5 miles easy.
• Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Saturday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 5.5 miles easy. If you feel you are making increases to quickly, back off a bit.

Week 7

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 5 miles easy.
• Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Saturday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Sunday - Run 6 miles easy. You are running nearly the full 10K here.

Week 8

• Monday - Rest
• Tuesday - Run 6.25 miles easy. This will be your longest training run. You are now doing just over the 10K distance. This will give you the confidence that you can comfortably finish the race. You will begin to taper for the race after this workout.
• Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy.
• Thursday - Rest or cross train.
• Friday - Run 2 miles easy.
• Saturday - Rest
• Sunday - RACE DAY! HAVE FUN!

If you would like to improve your speed and performance, move on the more advanced training programs.