Training for: a Faster 10K

I'm getting back into my running after a couple of years off. I've run two 10k races recently and clocked 40:13 and 38:49. The latter was a flat, fast course, and the time probably reflects the best I can do at present. 38:49 is around the best I've ever done, so I'm a little uncertain about how to now push on to get back time further down, eg I've been training consistently toward 10 k races for ~4 months, but have trained regularly for most of my life. I do 3 sessions a week: (1) 45-min somewhat hard; (2) 5x 6-min above race pace with 3-min easy recovery; (3) 10x 1-min at 20kmh, 1-min jog recovery. I progress duration or intensity of session over 3 weeks, then have a recovery week. I then start the next block of 3 weeks at the levels/times of the previous week 2. Have also been working with a sport psych to get my head right for my races. Is it simply a case of continuing to progress my intensities and durations gradually? Do I need to increase my frequency? Any advice would be much appreciated.
Best wishes– Garry

Answer by Dom:
Hi Garry,

Thanks for your question: and congratulations on that 38:49. That's genuinely impressive for someone who's been back at it for just four months, especially after a couple of years away from the sport.

Here's my honest read of your situation: you're hammering yourself with three tough sessions every week, and that's exactly why you're stuck. All three of your current workouts are quality sessions: I don't see any easy running in the program you've described. Your body never gets a chance to absorb the training stress and build on it. I see this pattern a lot with those of us who are experienced, know how to work hard, but haven't yet made the shift to polarized (about 80% of your running easy and 20% hard) training.

I'll break this down as follows:

1. Why your current training structure is keeping you at 38:49
2. How to restructure your weekly training balance
3. Building your aerobic base (your ability to keep running comfortably for a long time) with proper periodization
4. Adding frequency with easy volume: and when to reintroduce speed work

1. Why Your Current Training Structure Is Keeping You at 38:49

Garry, the problem is straightforward once you see it. You're doing a 45-minute "somewhat hard" run, 5 x 6 minutes above race pace, and 10 x 1 minute at 20kph (about 12.4 mph). That's three quality sessions every single week, with no easy running mentioned.

Here's what I'd recommend instead: flip the balance completely. One hard session per week, two at the absolute maximum. Everything else should be easy aerobic running: genuinely easy, where you could hold a conversation without straining. This gives your body the recovery time it needs to actually absorb the training stress and come back stronger.

For your fitness level (38:49 10K) the structure should look like one or two tempo running sessions per week, and everything else easy. Many of us get trapped in the cycle of constant intensity because it feels productive. But you're actually preventing the adaptations that would make you faster.

2. How to Restructure Your Weekly Training Balance

Your three-week progression with a recovery week is smart periodization, Garry, genuinely well structured. The problem is you're applying it to the wrong type of training. I'd like you to build aerobic capacity first, then layer speed work on top of that foundation.

For the next 8–12 weeks, focus primarily on easy mileage with minimal intensity and perhaps one tempo session per week. I know this sounds backwards, slowing down to run faster, but it's precisely what your body needs to break through this plateau. Your aerobic system powers roughly 85% or more of a 10K race. By running everything hard, you're neglecting the very engine that determines your race performance.

3. Building Your Aerobic Base, and Adding Frequency

You're currently running three days per week, and getting to 38:49 on three sessions is very impressive. But to get a lot faster, I'd strongly recommend running more often, while keeping those additional runs genuinely easy.

Start next week by adding one 30-minute easy run. After two weeks, add another. Within a month, you could be running five days per week with very little additional fatigue, because the extra sessions are genuinely easy. These runs do the heavy lifting for your 10K improvement. They build the aerobic base that makes everything else more effective.

Your weekly mileage should increase gradually from your current level toward around 35–40 miles per week over several months. Think of this as a long-term project rather than a quick fix. You're currently running 2–3 hours per week; I'd like to see you build to 3+ hours, then further when that feels comfortable.

On mileage, more is almost always better for 10K performance, but take your time. Rushing the process is the most reliable way to end up injured and back at square one.

4. When You Reintroduce Speed Work

Once you've built that aerobic base, the intensity you add back should be more targeted for 10K racing. Your current workouts have good bones. They just need adjusting.

That 5 x 6 minutes above race pace is structurally excellent. Keep it as your main quality session, but bring the pace down to 10K–15K (about 9.3 miles) pace rather than faster than race pace. This teaches your body to clear lactate efficiently at the speeds that actually matter on race day. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but I'd encourage you to try it. It's one of the most effective ways to build structural speed.

I'd remove the 10 x 1 minute at 20kph entirely. It's too short and too fast for 10K development: that kind of work is more relevant to 1500m or mile racing. If you want to include some faster work, shift it to roughly 5K pace and extend the reps: something like 6 x 3 minutes at 5K pace with 90-second recoveries. This develops your VO2 max (how much oxygen your body can use at your hardest effort) far more effectively through proper interval running.

A simple way to think about the structure: one session slightly slower than race pace (tempo), one session slightly faster (intervals). This brackets your race pace and develops both the systems you need for 10K performance.

These quality workouts should feel controlled, not like you're hanging on for dear life in the final rep. Good training leaves you feeling like you could do one more. That's the standard to aim for.

Sub-37 is a big step from 38:49, so treat it as a longer-term target. Your history gives you a real base to build from, Garry. The mental work you've been doing with your sport psych is excellent and will pay dividends, but your physical preparation needs this rebalancing first. The patience to slow down most of your running is the hardest part. Counter-intuitive as it sounds, that's precisely what will get you faster.

If you're looking to break similar barriers from a slightly lower starting point, a useful reference is the page on how quickly you can get to sub-40 minutes for a 10k.

Keep me posted on how it goes.

Kind regards,
Dom

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