Finish the Windsor 10K with this 8 week training plan

8 weeks to go until the Windsor Women’s 10K! Here’s the perfect no-frills training plan to get you across the finish line with a smile.

Your 10K training focus:

Congratulations on entering a 10K (if it’s the Windsor Women’s 10K in September, we can’t wait to welcome you!) The next step is sorting out a training plan. You have around eight weeks, but that’s plenty of time to train for the endurance and pace a 10K requires.

How fit do you need to be?

Can you train for a 10K in 8 weeks from scratch? It’s possible, but we would advise you to start this programme from a decent base. 8 weeks is enough time to train for a 10K, but it does mean you’ll need to train with focus and intensity. Make sure you can run for 3.5km/20 minutes without stopping – you can build from there.

You’ll notice that our suggested plan below doesn’t dictate pace or speed – just distance. This is because our focus is on getting you round the 10K race, not finishing in a certain time, or getting a PB.

If you have a particular time or pace in mind, use the Thursday runs to work on pace (speed) and the Sunday longer runs to keep an eye on how that distance matches your target race time.

How many days a week to train for a 10K?

The plan we suggest below will have you running 3-4 times a week, with an additional 1-2 days cross-training. You will have 2 rest days. Your longest run will be 6 miles.

Your 8-week 10K training plan

 Week 1

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 4km run
• Wednesday – 20-30 minute cross train (easy bike/swim or a walk)
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 20-30 minute cross train
• Sunday – 5km run (walking breaks if necessary)

 Week 2

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 4km run
• Wednesday – 20-30 minute cross train (easy bike/swim or a walk)
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 20-30 minute cross train
• Sunday – 5.5km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 3

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 4km run
• Wednesday – 30-35 minute cross train (easy bike/swim or a walk)
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 45 minute cross train
• Sunday – 6km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 4

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 4.5km run
• Wednesday – 30-35 minute cross train (easy bike/swim or a walk)
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 45 minute cross train
• Sunday – 6.5km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 5

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 5km run
• Wednesday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 40 minute cross train
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 50 minute cross train
• Sunday – 7km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 6

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 5km run
• Wednesday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 40 minute cross train
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 50 minute cross train
• Sunday – 8km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 7

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 5km run
• Wednesday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 45 minute cross train
• Thursday – 3.2km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10 minutes strength training (body weight exercises are fine), 50 minute cross train
• Sunday – 9km run (walking breaks if necessary)

Week 8 (race week)

• Monday – rest day
• Tuesday – 5km run
• Wednesday – 30 minute cross train
• Thursday – 2 km run
• Friday – rest (stretch/mobility work)
• Saturday – 10K Race

Windsor Women’s 10k Saturday 28th September. Click here to enter today

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