10 km in 45 mins - in 6 weeks

Experienced 6 weeks 3x/week
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To follow this programme you must have already run the 10 km distance in under 50 minutes.

Ideally, your sessions should be on the Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday to keep your week as balanced as possible. In any event, there must be a day of rest between each run.

Each week, you will work on your speed over short distances (VO2max speed),a session at your target pace (13.3 km/h = 4 mins 30 secs per kilometre) and an endurance session.

You need to have Decathlon Coach application to launch this program !

Week 1 - Objective: discovering the paces

On the fast sessions, you must find the pace that you can maintain for all your repetitions.

  • 01. Short VO2max effort 2x 8x (30 secs - 30 secs)
  • 02. 3 x 1 km at the target race pace
  • 03. 1 hr of jogging on hilly terrain

Week 2 - Objective: 4 kilometres at the race pace

If you cannot maintain the required running pace, you must fall back to the "running the 10 km distance in 50 minutes" programme.

  • 04. VO2max 12 x 200 metres
  • 05. 4 x 1 km at target race pace
  • 06. 1 hr 15 mins of jogging on hilly terrain

Week 3 - Objective: 4 kilometres at the race pace

If the required paces seem too easy, you can always choose a more ambitious programme.
You can also stick to this programme by adapting the sessions to the race pace, at your convenience.

  • 07. VO2max 2 x (6 x 300 metres)
  • 08. 2 x 2 km at target race pace
  • 09. 1 hr 15 mins of jogging on hilly terrain

Week 4 - Objective: 5 kilometres at the race pace

Given the sequence of sessions and efforts made, a little fatigue may set in.

Take care of yourself, change into some dry clothes after running, follow our nutritional advice, maintain a healthy lifestyle and everything will be fine!

  • 10. VO2max 2 x (5 x 400 metres)
  • 11. 2 + 1 + 2 km at the target race pace
  • 12. 1 hr 30 mins of jogging on hilly terrain

Week 5 - Objective: work on propulsion

Having nearly arrived at your objective, make the most of this week to test the equipment you will use on the day of the race and your nutrition.

  • 13. VO2max 6 x 600 metres
  • 14. 3 x 2 km at the target race pace
  • 15. 1 hr 15 mins of jogging + 5 x 100 m

Week 6 - Objective: 10 kilometres in 45 minutes!

The workload drops so that you feel fresh for the start of the race.

This is why there will be no VO2max session this week and the sessions will be short, intentionally.

  • 16. 2 x 1 km at target race pace
  • 17. 45 min jog + 5 x 100 m
  • 18. Warm-up for race day

Coach advice

"Running 10 km in 45 minutes is equivalent to running at 13.3 km/h. If you have already run the 10 km distance in less than 55 minutes, the target is achievable with a disciplined preparation."
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