5K to 10K progression

If you can run 5K, this builds one run a week towards 10 km and keeps your other runs easy.

Your details

Distance in
Longest run now
Runs a week
Your 5K time now (optional)
First week starts
Weeks until your 10K race (optional)

Weeks to a 10K long run

10

weeks, with 3 runs a week

  • Week 1 long run5.5 km
  • Week 2 long run6.1 km
  • Week 3 long run6.7 km
  • Week 4 long run5.3 km
  • Week 5 long run7.3 km
  • Week 6 long run8.1 km
  • Week 7 long run8.9 km
  • Week 8 long run7.1 km
  • Week 9 long run9.7 km
  • Week 10 long run10.0 km
  • 10K your 5K predicts1:02:33 (6:15 per km)
  • Long run pace7:11 to 8:32 per km, the Daniels easy band
  • Weekly distance15.0 km now to 20.0 km in week 10
  • Biggest rise from one week to the next16%, under the 30% that Nielsen 2014 linked with more running injuries
  • This week (Week 1)long run 5.5 km easy, 2 other easy runs of up to 5.0 km
  • Next step (Week 2)long run 6.1 km easy, 2 other easy runs of up to 5.0 km
  • Finishesweek of 23 Dec 2026 (10 weeks from 21 Oct 2026)
  • Too much?Repeat a week if it felt hard, and keep a rest day between runs.
  • Progression fromlong run up 10% a week, every fourth week lighter (Nielsen 2014: big weekly jumps go with more injuries)
  • Add it to your calendarDownload 30 sessions (.ics)

Only the long run grows; the others stay short and easy. Every fourth week is lighter so your legs catch up. Run the long one slowly enough to chat.

Pain that changes how you run, or that is worse the next morning, is a reason to rest and see a GP or physio.

The working

5 km to 10 km

Up 10% a week: 5.5, 6.1, 6.7, then an easier 5.3; 7.3, 8.1, 8.9, then 7.1; 9.7 and finally 10 km. 10 weeks, with your other runs staying around 5 km.

The plan is dated from your start week, with a calendar file of every run. A 30:00 5K predicts about 1:02:33 for 10K (6:15 per km) on Riegel's formula with the usual 1.06 exponent, and Daniels' tables put easy running for that fitness at about 7:11 to 8:32 per km, the pace for the long runs. Most people find the long run feels right when they can still talk in sentences.

Only the long run grows, so your weekly distance rises more gently than the long run does. With three runs a week from a 5 km long run, the week goes from 15 km now to 20 km in week 10, and the biggest rise from one week to the next is about 16%, in week 9 straight after a lighter week, well under the 30% jumps that Nielsen 2014 linked with more injuries in new runners. Add the weeks until your race: in 8 weeks the plan is 2 weeks short and your long run will have reached about 8.9 km, so walk breaks on the day or a later race are the kinder options.

Each week

What to run

RunWhat
Long runthe distance in the plan, slowly
Second run5 km easy
Third run5 km with a few short faster bits

When it gets hard

Normal and fixable

  • Heavy legs: repeat the week
  • Bored: try a new route or a friend
  • Breathless: slow down, it is not a race yet
  • Sore: rest a day or two

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

  • SpeedYour 10K pace will be slower than your 5K pace.
  • InjuryStop if pain changes your stride.
  • Pace targetsUse the 10K pace page once you can cover the distance.

Questions

Common questions

How long to go from 5K to 10K?

About 8 to 10 weeks for most people.

How much should my long run increase?

Around 10% a week, with easy weeks between.

What time will I run for 10K?

Roughly your 5K time doubled plus 4 to 5%: a 30 minute 5K suggests about 62 to 63 minutes, once the long runs are in.

Should I run 10K before race day?

Getting to 9 or 10 km in training helps confidence, but it is not essential.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

Before you push on

New to exercise, or got a heart, lung or joint condition? Have a word with your GP or practice nurse first. Stop and get help if you feel chest pain, faintness or unusual breathlessness, and call 999 if it is severe.

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