Want to improve your 10K time this year? Here’s a simple training plan based on the word FORM, which means – focus on efficiency only! Not speed or heart rate, but training yourself to run in a relaxed manner.
Really focus on relaxing the muscles that are not needed to propel you forward – hands, arms, shoulders, even your feet and legs when they’re in the swing phase of your stride. Stay tall with your chest upright and open and think ‘smooth,’ without bouncing up and down.
Training Tips
- Easy Runs and Optional Days are only if you feel good and can run easy!
- Long Slow Distance (LSD) is at a pace where you can talk comfortably while running.
- For Hill Repeats, look for lengths of 300-600 m and a slope gentle enough that you can maintain a nice upright running form. Uphill is the workout, downhill is the rest period.
- Tempo Runs are at an intensity in which your breathing feels laboured, but is not your top speed.
- Intervals should be run at your 5K race pace. Try to maintain pace as closely as possible and only add 15 seconds to the rest periods to be on pace.
- Hill Repeats, Tempo and Interval Runs should start and end with a 10-15 minute warm-up and cool-down run.
- The 5K Time Trial is only necessary if you feel you need to gauge your progress. Use the result to do any fine-tuning to your program if needed.
- 80/20 Rule: Try to follow 80 percent of the program and be human 20 percent of the time. Everyone misses the occasional workout. Consistency counts when life happens!
