How many weeks is a 10K training plan?+
All three of our 10K plans run 12 weeks at every level, from base building through the taper. Our race season guide puts a tune-up 5K in week 9. If your race is closer than 12 weeks, email a coach before you start and we will tell you where to begin.
How many hours a week do I need to train for a 10K?+
On the 80/20 10K plan your weekly running averages 3.3 hours at Level 0 and 7.3 hours at Level 3, with peak weeks of about 5 to 9 hours. Matt's rule is to train at the highest volume at which you consistently feel good, so pick the level whose average you can hold most weeks.
Is there a 10K training plan for beginners?+
Yes, and it is the level most of our 10K runners choose. Level 0 has five runs in a typical week with two days off, and the levels above it run all the way to full racing. If you are torn between two levels, start lower, and if it turns out wrong we switch you at no cost.
Should I train by heart rate, pace or power for a 10K?+
Any of them works, and the 80/20 and Masters plans also come in an RPE version for running by feel. Pace is the most race-relevant measure and the easiest way to rehearse your goal pace, but it stops being reliable on hills. Heart rate is a useful check on easy days, though it lags behind changes in effort and drifts with heat and fatigue.
What if I miss a week of 10K training?+
Pick up the schedule where you are rather than trying to make the runs up. That holds for a missed run or two when you are healthy. After a longer gap, especially for illness or injury, ease back in over a few days first. If the plan no longer fits, email a coach and we can move you to another level.
Does it include strength training?+
Not in the plan itself. Strength comes as a separate 10K Strength Training Plug-in, matched to your level and to the plan's 12 weeks so the sessions fit around your key runs. For a fuller gym program there is 10K Premium Strength. Team 80/20 includes both, along with every other 80/20 plan.
