Programs / Running
10K and Half Marathon Build
An eight-week, four-day plan for runners who can already jog 20–30 minutes and want a 10K, with an optional long-run track toward a half marathon.
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Days / week
- 4
- Session time
- 25–75 min
- Level
- Intermediate
Who it's for
Runners who can already complete 20–30 minutes of easy jogging and want a structured block toward a 10K. Use the longer long-run option only if you have already been running at least three days a week and your longest recent run is close to 45 minutes.
Goal
Arrive at a 10K (or an optional half marathon) with a larger easy-run base, one quality session a week, and a long run that is still conversational.
Equipment
- Running shoes that fit
- A watch
- Optional: a soft loop or trail for the long run, and a slight hill for week 4
Warm-up
- 4–5 minutes easy walking, then a few minutes of easy jogging on quality and long days
- 5 leg swings, 5 gentle walking lunges, 5 ankle circles each side
- On quality days only: two 20-second relaxed strides
Cooldown
- 3–5 minutes easy walking
- Calf, hip, and quad stretch, 30 seconds each
- If you finish a long run wrecked, the next quality day becomes an easy day
Weeks 1–8: Easy, quality, and a long run
Weeks 1–8
Four days a week: an easy run, a quality session, an easy or rest day, and a long run. The half-marathon option only changes the long run.
Week 1
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 20–30 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 6 x 1 min moderate / 1 min easy after a 10 min warmup | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 20 min easy or rest | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 40 min easy (half option: 50 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 2
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 25–35 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 4 x 2 min moderate / 90 sec easy | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 20–25 min easy or rest | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 45 min easy (half: 55 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 3
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 30–35 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 20 min easy with 8 min steady in the middle | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 20–25 min easy | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 50 min easy (half: 60 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 4
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 30–40 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 5 x 2 min hills or moderate / walk or jog down | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 20 min easy or rest | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 40 min easy — a slightly shorter long run (half: 50 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 5
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 30–40 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 3 x 4 min steady / 2 min easy | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 25 min easy | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 55 min easy (half: 70 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 6
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 30–40 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 6 x 90 sec a bit quicker / 90 sec easy | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 25 min easy or rest | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 60 min easy (half: 75 min) | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 7
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 30 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 2 x 5 min steady / 2 min easy, or a 15 min moderate block | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | 20 min easy | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | 50 min easy (half: 65 min) — start to trim | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Week 8
Varies by day; the long run is the longest session of the week
Add a 4–5 minute walk warmup and a 3–5 minute walk cooldown to every run.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Easy run | 1 | 20–25 min easy | Conversational, RPE 3–4 | This is aerobic work, not a hidden workout. |
| Day 2 — Quality | 1 | 15 min easy with 4 x 30 sec light strides | Moderate is RPE 6–7, not a sprint. Steady is short phrases. | Warm up 8–10 minutes easy and cool down 5 minutes every quality day. |
| Day 3 — Easy or rest | 1 | Optional 20 min walk or rest | RPE 2–4 | Take the rest option if your legs feel heavy or sleep has been poor. |
| Day 4 — Long run | 1 | Goal day: 10K easy to moderate, or a half marathon. Walk breaks are allowed. If you are not racing, run 35–45 min easy (half: 50–60 min) and call the block done. | Easy, conversational, RPE 3–4 | The half-marathon option is in parentheses. Do not jump from the 10K long run to the half option mid-block. |
Scaling
Choose either the 10K track or the half-marathon long-run option and stay there for the block. Walk breaks are allowed on every run. If a quality session would be a slog, turn it into an easy run. Swap one easy run for a bike or a pool run if a niggle appears. Do not stack a hard weekday workout on top of this plan.
Notes
Quality days are controlled. They are not interval track championships. Increase the long run gradually; week 4 and week 7 already include a slight cut so the block can breathe. Race week (week 8) is about arriving fresh.
These programs are general educational guides, not personalized coaching or medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before starting a new training plan, especially if you have an injury, a medical condition, or you are returning from time off. Learn the movements first, scale the load and volume to your current ability, and stop any exercise that causes sharp or unusual pain. When a lift or skill is new — particularly Olympic weightlifting, sprinting, or contact-sport work — consider in-person coaching. You are responsible for how you use this information.
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