16 week 10km training programme for beginners
Check with your doctor before starting this programme.
Are you considering entering the 10km but you’re not sure where to start? This training programme
has been designed with beginners in mind. By starting slowly and building up, you have less chance
of causing injury and you can plan for race day well in advance. Print it out and stick it on the fridge
for motivation.
It’s up to you how you schedule your days; however, it’s a good idea to run on alternate days. It’s
easier on the body to take a rest day or do cross training between runs. Cross-training can be
walking, biking, swimming, stand up paddle-boarding or any other physical activity that you enjoy.
It’s probably more convenient to do your long runs on your weekends when you have more time.
Don’t get overwhelmed when you look at the entire programme. Just take it one week at a time and
relish the satisfaction as you tick each day off.
A 2:1 run to walk ratio means running a set distance e.g. two lampposts, and then walking one
lamppost. Cross training can include a bike ride, swim or an aerobic gym session.
Week 1
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Week 2
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Week 3
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Week 4
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Ohope Express 10km 16 week programme for beginners
Distance
Run:walk ratio
Completed
Beginning 30 December
Easy
Total kms: 9
3km
2:1
3km
2:1
3km (long run)
2:1
Beginning 6 January
Medium
Total kms: 10
3km
2:1
3km
2:1
4km (long run)
2:1
Beginning 13 January
Hard
Total kms: 11
3km
2:1
3km
2:1
5km (long run)
2:1
Beginning 20 January
Easy
Total kms: 11
2km
Run
3km
2:1
4km (long run)
2:1
2km
walk
Week 5
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Week 6
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 7
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 8
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 9
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 10
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 11
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 12
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Beginning 27 January
3km
2km
5km (long run)
2km
Beginning 3 February
3km
4km
Cross-training or rest
6km (long run)
3km
Beginning 10 February
3km
Cross-training
3km
5km (long run)
3km
Beginning 17 February
4km
Cross-training
4km
6km (long run)
3km
Beginning 24 February
4km
Cross-training
4km
7km (long run)
4km
Beginning 3 March
4km
Cross-training
4km
6km (long run)
3km
Beginning 10 March
4km
Cross-training
4km
7km (long run)
4km
Beginning 17 March
6km
Cross-training
4km
8km (long run)
4km
Medium
3:1
Run
3:1
Walk
Hard
3:1
3:1
3:1
Walk
Easy
3:1
Run
2:1
Walk
Medium
Run
Run
3:1
Walk
Hard
3:1
Run
3:1
Walk
Easy
Run
4:1
4:1
Walk
Medium
Run
Run
4:1
Walk
Hard
4:1
Run
5:1
Walk
Total kms: 12
Total kms: 16
Total kms: 14
Total kms: 17
Total kms: 19
Total kms: 17
Total kms: 19
Total kms: 21
Week 13
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 14
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 15
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Week 16
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3 (day before
race)
Day 4
Beginning 24 March
4km
Cross-training
4km
7km (long run)
4km
Beginning 31 March
7km
3km
Cross-training
10km (long run)
3km
Beginning 7 April
Cross-training(easy)
5km
Rest
7km (long run)
3km
Beginning 14 April
3km
3km
3km
Easy
Run
Race day! 10kms
Run!
Run
Run
Walk
Hard
Run
Run
Run
Walk
Easy
Total kms: 19
Total kms: 23
Total kms:15
Run
Run
Walk
Easy
Run
Run
Walk
Total kms: 19