If you are not quite ready then take a look at the 50 minute 10k training plan instead and then come back to this one once you are in a position to run at this pace.
Other 10k training plans: Sub 60 min 10k training plan|| 55 minute 10k || 50 minute 10k || 45 minute 10k || 40 minute 10k || 35 minute 10k
Please read before starting a training plan:
Frequently Asked Questions | Signs of Overtraining
Your Speed/Distance Training Zones: 45 minute 10k
| Pace per Mile | Treadmill Pace | 400m / 800m Splits | 1km Pace | 5km Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:15 | 8.2 mph/ 13.3 km/h | 1:48 / 3:36 | 04:30 secs | 22:30 min |
45 minute 10k Training Plan
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | 4 (rec week) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 45mins easy | Rest/ cross-train | 30mins easy | Rest/ cross-train |
| Tuesday | 30mins easy | Rest/ cross-train | ||
| Wednesday | Rest/ cross-train | 30mins easy | Rest/ cross-train | Rest/ cross-train |
| Thursday | @7:15 p/m (4:30 p/km) 2 min Rec | Aim for 22:30 | @7:15 p/mile (3:36 p/800m) 90s Rec | Rest/ cross-train |
| Friday | Rest/ cross-train | Rest/ cross-train | Rest/ cross-train | 45mins easy |
| Saturday | 45mins easy | @7:15 p/m (4:30 p/km) 90s Rec | 45mins easy | Rest/ cross-train |
| Sunday | Long run, gentle pace: 60-75 mins | 45mins easy | Long run, gentle pace: 60-75 mins | Rest/ cross-train |
55 Minute 10k Training Plan Components
Breakeven Sessions – 45 minute 10k
These sessions are used for maintaining fitness & recovery. Preparing you for breakthrough sessions:
- Easy Run – this should be no quicker than 09:15-09:45 p/mile.
- Long Run – this doesn't need to be any longer than 75 minutes.
Breakthrough Sessions – 45 minute 10k
These sessions are meant to be challenging intense efforts, treat them as mini-milestones towards your target:
- Tempo Run – hard but sustainable effort, usually about 30 mins in total and aim for 07:45 p/mile pace for 3 miles with a 1 mile warm up/down either side.
- 800m Reps – should be reps at 07:15 p/m pace (3:36 per 800m) with a 90sec jogged recovery.
- 1km Intervals – 07:15 p/m pace (4:30 per km) with a 90sec jogged recovery.
- 2km Intervals – 07:15 p/m pace (4:30 per km) with a 2min jogged recovery.
- 5km Time Effort – run a 5k race/training run at your maximum, try and aim for a sub 22:30.
Notes on the 55 Minute 10k Training Plan
The 45 minute 10k plan has been put together so it is cyclical and can be used over a period of weeks until you feel you are ready for your 10k event. At the end of each cycle you can repeat from the beginning or tweak the plan to suit your current ability and time commitments etc. As you improve you'll maybe want to incorporate some sessions from our other 10k training plans.
If, after a couple of rotations you want to make the plan harder, you could slowly increase the number of reps for the breakthrough speed sessions. Introduce changes slowly and over a few weeks, i.e., Week 1 = 3x2km Reps, Week 5 = 4x2km Reps, Week 8 = 5x2km reps, etc. Obviously there is only so far you can go with this, there would be no point in extending these way beyond the 10k distance. The other way of making the plan harder is to adjust the pace slightly and run faster!
It is recommended that after three months of using the 45 minute 10k plan that you reduce your training for a period of one to two weeks to allow your body time to recover from the impact of running. This should mean more time cross-training with a couple of nice easy runs every few days to keep the legs ticking over.
To realise improvements it’s worth remembering that training is cumulative and it takes time and dedication to follow any training plan and achieve the results you want.
Hi, if I plan on following this plan for more than a cycle, would it be ok to skip the recovery week?
Hi David, I wouldn’t advise you skip it but if you were intending to I would suggest you made sure you took the recovery week on the very second cycle. I have followed the plans and skipped recovery weeks myself and it’s okay to do so occasionally, but to do it continuously would be putting yourself at risk of over-training in my view. But of course, it is up to you: the plans here are guidance for you, you know your body better than anyone.
Yes, totally agree with Matt on this. I badly injured myself just through over-training (3 months no running). I was following a plan that involved running every day, even twice a day with very little recovery. Bad idea. Developed a nasty combination of hamstring and knee problems that put me out for weeks. A lot depends (I think) on how old you are – I’m in my 40s now so absolutely have to have those recovery weeks. But to be honest, sticking with the recovery slots I think has made me quicker.. Less is more and all that!!
Thanks for such a wonderfully straightforward plan! Just coming back into training after a 3-month injury hiatus. First week went fine; even managed quicker pace on the week 1 intervals. Now into the second week, and, as I suspected, the tempo 3-miler was a bridge too far – especially at a 7 min/mile. I was on the money for mile 1, but pace inevitably drained away – ended up averaging a rather sluggish 7.26. Wondering if anyone else finding that first tempo run a nightmare? It’s interesting as I’m not finding the intervals that hard (I mean I can pace them even quicker than 7.15); I’m guessing / hoping that going through the cycle a second/third time, those tempo runs will improve?
Hi Stuart, yes stick with the tempo runs. The first cycle round will be hard to hit all the targets but after 2-3 cycles you should feel more comfortable with hitting the pace for all the sessions. Are you doing the interval runs on a treadmill or outside?
Hi Matt,
Thanks for this. Yes. I’ll stick with and hopefully those tempo runs will get more doable! No, I’ve never really trained on a treadmill.
Thanks for such a simple and easy-to-manage plan! Just finished week 1 and going well so far. It’ll be interesting to see how I fare next week – especially the 3 miles @ 7min/mile tempo run. I’m kinda sceptical of holding that pace over that distance. But I’ll let you know how I get on!!
Pleased you’re finding the plan useful, Stuart. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Cheers.
Could you elaborate more on ‘3 mile tempo’? what is the pace and duration for this? thanks.
When it says go faster than race pace – what sort of speeds is that roughly? 14-15km/hr for the 45 minute 10k?
Hi Calum, I would go for 13.8 pace which is 7 min mile pace. Cheers.
Hi,
After 2 months of traininig, I’ve recently completed my first 10k – 45:15, and completed my first park run – 21:15. Today I started the sub 18min 5k training plan. My question is; lets say I manage to get close to the sub 18mins; then will my 10k improve to same extent?
Hi Simon, I would expect your 10k time to improve, sure, but perhaps not as much as if you were following just a 10k plan. Good luck.