Beginner · 4 min read
From 5K to 10K: how to step up
Already running 5K? How to double your distance over 6 to 8 weeks with a weekly longer run and gradual increases.
If you can run 5K comfortably, 10K is a natural next step. With three or four runs a week, most runners can make the jump in around 6 to 8 weeks.
Add one longer run each week
The key change is a weekly longer run, done at an easy, conversational pace. Extend it by roughly 1 kilometre each week or so, until you are comfortably covering 10 to 12 kilometres a couple of weeks before your race. Your other runs can stay about the same length.
Increase gradually
Let your total weekly running rise steadily rather than in big jumps, and every third or fourth week, run a little less to let your body absorb the work. Feeling fresher after a lighter week is a sign it’s working.
Add a little quality, once you’re comfortable
- Strides: 4 to 6 relaxed accelerations of about 20 seconds at the end of an easy run.
- A steady run: 15 to 20 minutes at a pace that feels comfortably hard, once a week.
- Keep everything else easy. More hard running is not better running.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor before starting a new training programme, especially if you have a health condition or injury, and stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort. See our terms of use.