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.
Hello,
I may have understood wrong?
Intervals and breakthrough sessions are done at 4:30m/km pace, and tempo at 4:21m/km pace?
Why is a tempo session faster than interval session..
thank you so much for clarifying, its an interesting plan, i look forward to trying it!
Hi Sophia, you are quite right to raise the question as you have picked up on a typo! Thank you very much for asking. I have modified the table and added a description of the Tempo run to the Breakthrough sessions on the page for clarity. In summary, the tempo run should NOT be quicker than the interval/ race pace sessions. Apologies for the confusion. Good luck with your training and let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Hey Matt! Getting ready to run my 10k and I was curious if you have any suggestions on the best splits to achieve this (coming from someone who foolishly ran her last 10k with mile splits of 6:40, 7:01, 7:22, 7:33, 7:46, 7:57).
Hi Matt. I’m currently run a 7km in a 32 minutes. Do you think i can run a 44 minutes for 10 km in a month? And Do you think i should run it through this program or just keep run and i will succes?
Hey Matty,
I just wanted to thank you for the above plan, I have been trying to break the 45 minute 10k for many years after following your structured plan, I completed 10k today in 43:15 I’m absolutely made thanks
Jamie
Hi Jaime, that’s great news well done! Pleased the plan worked so well for you, you nailed it. Congrats.
Hey Matt,
I’m currently 55min 10k, looking to achieve 45. so a big step. I was wondering if you managed to produce that PDF at all? Also, do you feel there should be a min distance I should be doing a week along with the training plan?
Any Chance you could make these plans printable so I could put on a noticeboard for quick reference?
Great resource by the way, thanks.
Hi Chris, yes it’s something I’m looking into at the moment actually. Hopefully in a week or so there will be the option to open a PDF version for you to print out. Cheers.