#FINDYOURSTRONG 10K TRAINING PLAN [PLAN DESIGNED BY COACH AND MOTHER RUNNER CHRISTINE HINTON: THERUNNINGCOACH.COM] THE BASICS: This 15-weeker stretches out your long runs to 7-8 miles to build the requisite stamina and confidence
to cover 6.2 miles, while also introducing some speedier workouts. The highest weekly mileage is 14-20 miles. We’re
not asking you to bust a move too often, but we know you are up for the challenge (literally!) and ready to
#FindYourStrong.
This is best for someone tackling a 10K for the first time, coming back from injury or pregnancy, or wanting to run a
strong effort on 10K race day and cross the finish line with a smile on her face. Optional Walk breaks are built into
the workouts through Week 7; if you need to continue to take them after that, feel free. (Forward motion at any speed
is the key to #FindYourStrong.) You’ll run a 5K at the end of Week Nine, and we’ll help you use your finishing time
from that effort to figure out your pace for the culminating #FindYourStrong 10K.
THE PREREQS: Athletes ready for this challenge should be able to run/walk three or four miles comfortably. It’s a
good idea to have completed a 5K race and have a few months of consistent running or run/walking logged on your
legs, but if you’re a newbie to speedwork, no worries: We’ll ease you into it.
VERY IMPORTANT LINK: This link (http://anothermotherrunner.com/amr-findyourstrong-10k-13-1-landingpage/) is the landing page for #FindYourStrong Challenge. We’ll post exclusive podcast links, weekly newsletter
archives, and other fun stuff posted there, so if you miss or have misplaced anything, you’ll likely find it there.
QUICK KEY
♥ = Bail.
FYS = Find Your Strong
WU = Warm-up
★= Gotta get it done.
I = Interval
XT = Crosstrain
CD = Cooldown
LR = Long Run
YR! = You Rock!
E = Easy Effort
TWM = Total Weekly
Mileage
Z = Zone
WEEK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
TWM
1
♥1
E: 2-3 miles2
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every .5 mile
XT3
E:
2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every .5 mile
XT
E: 2-3 miles;
or XT
★
Rest6
9-12
miles
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1 mile
XT
★
XT
♥
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1 mile
Rest
10.513.5
miles
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1 mile
XT
XT
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1 mile
♥
LR: 3 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1 mile
Rest
10-12
miles
E: 2.5-3.5
miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1.5
mile
XT
XT
♥
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1.5
mile
★
Rest
10.514.5
miles
♥
E: 3-4 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1.5
mile
XT
Rest
12-16
miles
♥
E: 3-4 miles
Optional:
Walk 2 min.
every 2 miles
XT
Rest
12-16.5
miles
E: 3-4 miles
Optional:
Walk 1 min.
every 2 miles
XT
Rest
11-14
miles
2
3
4
5
6
7
2.5-3.5 miles as
10 min. WU; I:
3-4 x 1 min. in
Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD7
★
E: 3 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1 mile
2.5-3.5 miles as
10 min. WU; I:
4-6 x 1 min. at
Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
★
3-4 miles as 10
min. WU; T: 34 x 3 min. at
Z3 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD8
3-4 miles as 10
min. WU; I: 46 x 2 min. at
Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
★
3-4 miles as 10
min. WU; I: 68 x 1 min. at
Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
XT
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1.5
mile
XT
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
Walk 2 min.
every 2 miles
XT
♥
E: 2-3 miles
Optional:
Walk 1 min.
every 2 miles
4
LR: 3 miles5
Optional: walk
2 min. every .5
mile
LR: 4 miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1 mile
LR: 3.5-4.5
miles
Optional:
walk 2 min.
every 1.5 mile
LR: 4-5 miles
Optional:
walk 1 min.
every 1.5 mile
★
LR: 4-5.5 miles
Optional:
Walk 2 min.
every 2 miles
LR: 3-4 miles
Optional:
Walk 1 min.
every 2 miles
WEEK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
TWM
8
E: 2-3
miles
XT
★
XT
♥
E: 1-2 miles
★
Rest
8.1-11.1
miles
♥
E: 2-3
miles
E: 3-4
miles
XT
E: 4 miles
XT
9
10
11
XT
♥
E: 3 miles
XT
13
E: 3-4
miles
XT
E: 3-4
miles
XT
E: 3-4
miles
XT
15
★
Practice 5K9
XT
E: 2-3 miles
LR: 3-4 miles
Rest
9-13
miles
3-4 miles as
10 min. WU;
I: 6-8 x 2 min.
at Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
XT
♥
E: 2-3 miles
★
Rest
13-17
miles
3-5 miles as
10 min. WU;
T: 2-4 x 4
min. at Z3 w/2
min. recovery;
10 min. CD
XT
Rest
16-19
miles
★
XT
E: 2-3 miles
LR: 4-5 miles
Rest
13-15
miles
XT
♥
E: 3 miles
★
Rest
17-20
miles
E: 2-3 miles
12
14
2-3 miles as
10 min. WU;
I: 2-4 x 1 min.
at Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
E: 4 miles
4-5 miles as
10 min. WU;
I: 6-10 x 1
min. at Z4 w/2
min. recovery;
10 min. CD
★
3 miles as 10
min. WU; I: 610 x 1 min. at
Z4 w/2 min.
recovery; 10
min. CD
★
LR: 6-7 miles
LR: 7-8 miles
XT
♥
E: 2-3 miles
LR: 4-6 miles
Rest
13-18
miles
XT
E: 1-3 miles
★
★
13.2-18.2
miles
4-5 miles as
10 min. WU;
T: 2-4 x 4
min. at Z3 w/2
min. recovery;
10 min. CD
★
♥
E: 3 miles
LR: 5-6 miles
FYS! 10
10K!
FYS!
10K!
or E: 1-2
miles
or
rest
#FINDYOURSTRONG RUN/RACE 10K*
* THE PART WHERE WE EXPLAIN THE FOOTNOTES
→1
What it says: ♥
What you do: Listen to your heart. Do you want to do the workout? Then have at it. Are you craving a break? Take
it—no questions asked.
→2
What it says: E: 2-3 miles Optional: walk 2 min. every .5 mile
What you do: Run 2-3 miles at an easy (E) pace. If that feels like too much straight running, give yourself a 2 minute
walk break every half-mile. Easy pace: no higher than a 5 on a 1-10 scale, where 1=strolling at the mall and
10=sprinting from a mountain lion.
→3
What it says: XT
What you do: Crosstrain: swim, bike, elliptical, play tennis, do yoga or Pilates, anything that doesn’t pound your
joints. Ideally, you’ll strength train for 30-45 minutes weekly, so if you want to knock out a full strength session
during one XT workout on Tu or Th, we definitely won’t complain. (Otherwise, spread the strength out during the
week: for example, 10 minutes of core after a run, 20 minutes of weights after 25 minutes on a bike, 15 minutes of
lunges, squats, planks, push-ups, etc. in the driveway while the kids ride their bikes.)
→4
What it says: ★
What you do: Even if it takes until nightfall to get the workout done, you must do this workout. Bailing is not an
option (unless you’re injured or have other extraordinary circumstances going on). In other words, take this
mandatory workout and shine like the superstar you are!
→5
What it says: LR: 3 miles Optional: walk 2 min. every .5 mile
What you do: Long run day! LR pace is a notch down from E pace: no higher than a 4 on a 1-10 scale, where
1=strolling at the mall and 10=sprinting from a mountain lion. You want to end your long run feeling like you
could’ve gone longer. Again, if that feels like too much straight running, give yourself a 2 minute walk break every
half-mile.
→6
What it says: Rest.
What you do: Nada. Absolutely nothing, save your daily work/life routine. To get stronger and more fit, your body
needs time to recover; your mind also needs a day to just chill and not worry about an obnoxiously early alarm or
lunchtime workout. Give them both a break at least one day a week.
→7
What it says: 2.5-3.5 miles as 10 min. WU; I: 3-4 x 1 min. in Z4 w/2 min. recovery; 10 min. CD
What you do: Wake up your engine and legs for 10 minutes, then gun it like you were starting a 5K race for 1
minute. (That’s one interval.) Slow down significantly or walk for two minutes; do between three or four of those
suckers. Cool down your engine for 10 minutes. Expect to go between 2.5 and 3.5 miles. (The Rx’d mileage is simply
a guide, so no need to run around your block one more time to reach 2.5 miles if your GPS says you’re not quite there
yet.)
→8
What it says: 3-4 miles as 10 min. WU; T: 3-4 x 3 min. at Z3 w/2 min. recovery; 10 min. CD
What you do: Wake up your engine and legs for 10 minutes, then turn up your pace to Tempo (T) for 3 minutes. Aim
for between a 6-7 effort on the 1-10 scale; you’re not going all out, but by minute 2.5 of the three, you’re ready to be
done. Slow down significantly or walk for two minutes; do three or four of those suckers. Cool down your engine for
10 minutes. Expect to go between 2.5 and 3.5 miles. (The Rx’d mileage is simply a guide, so no need to run around
your block one more time to reach 3 miles if your GPS says you’re not quite there yet.)
→9
What it says: Practice 5K
What you do: Ideally, find an organized 5K in your area you can enter. If that’s not possible, plan on running a
challenging 5K on your own. (Consider recruiting your family to cheer you on…always helps to have an audience.)
We’ll give you ideas on pacing as the date approaches, but if you’re reading this, take a moment on the Google and
see if you can find a suitable race.
→10
What it says: FYS!
What you do: Time to #FindYourStrong: It’s out there waiting for you to nab it.