With the popularity of road races, especially those over 10 km, many runners ask us what they can do to improve their running times and, specifically, how to break certain symbolic barriers, such as the hour and 40 minutes.

When to begin?

The first suggestion to beginner runners is not to do speed work. To know when to start with this type of training, you can read: When to start doing speed work. Interval work will allow you to improve your overall aerobic fitness and running economy and expose you to a higher risk of injury. In this regard, you must go gradually and follow our recommendations in the Fitness and Injuries section, especially those related to complementary strength and balance work.

Training tips

If you are ready for this type of training and your goal is to run 10 kilometers in less than an hour, we suggest the following alternative workouts that you can do once a week.

6-8 repetitions of 400 mts each in 2:06 minutes, recovering 2 – 3 minutes.

4-6 repetitions of 800 mts each in 4:16 minutes, recovering 4 – 5 minutes.

3-4 repetitions of 1000 mts each in 5:25 minutes, recovering 5 – 6 minutes.

It is important that before doing this work you warm up for about 15 minutes and that the total distance covered in these intervals never exceeds 10% of your total weekly mileage. It is recommended that you start with the least amount of repetitions suggested and increase them as you improve your physical condition.

Sources: The Competitive Runner’s Handbook, Run Less Run Faster.

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