You finally bit the bullet and signed up for your first 10K. Maybe the first time you'll race 6.2 miles is at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4th. Whatever inspired you to tackle 10K's worth of hills and thrills in Atlanta, you'll need a good training plan to keep yourself motivated, strong and most importantly, uninjured as you up your mileage over the coming weeks. Finding the right training plan for your fitness level is vital to running a successful (and healthy) 10K.
There are any number of 10K training plans out there for beginners--everything from the "couch to (insert mileage here)" programs to marathon legend and running writer and author Hal Higdon and his time-tested training methods. Yes, there's a plan for everyone. Since we're about nine weeks out to the AJC Peachtree Road Race, you may have already begun training, but if you haven't, what are you waiting for? Most training cycles are between 10 and 12 weeks long and allow the body plenty of time to adjust to mileage and endurance while building up leg and core strength. Your first task? Find a program you feel comfortable with and begin your training.
Here are four training plans to check out to help you decide which program suits your fitness level best.
Couch-to-10K with great first-time runner tips:
www.myrunningtips.com/couch-to-10k.html
8-week novice program:
www.halhigdon.com/training/51122/10K-Novice-Training-Program
12-week novice program:
www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/138.shtml
For those who've raced a 5K and are looking to move up to a 10K:
www.livestrong.com/article/557639-running-101-a-5k-training-plan-for-beginners
Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we share training and running tips, cross-training exercises as well as advice from running coaches and fitness experts before the big race on July 4th.
About the Author
