10 km sub-40 · Phases 1–2 · v2, paces from TT #1
Sub-40 10k Plan
Phase 1 (5 Oct – 29 Nov) builds from 35 to about 50 km per week. Phase 2 (30 Nov – 24 Jan) adds threshold and VO2max work at 50–60 km. Mondays are rest days. On Thursdays you can bike or rest. Only move on to the next week if your shins are fine. If you repeat a week, the later dates move back by a week.
0 / 16weeks with all runs done
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Reference
RPE scale
| RPE | Feel | Used for |
|---|
| 2–4 | Easy, you can talk in full sentences | Easy runs, long runs, bike |
| 6 | Steady, you can say short phrases | Fartlek, start of tempo |
| 7 | Comfortably hard, a few words at a time | Tempo, hills, strides |
| 8 | Hard, focused, no talking | End of hills, 3 min reps |
| 9–10 | Race effort | 5k time trial only |
If a session drifts above its RPE target, slow down. In this phase, sessions build durability. Fitness work comes later.
Pace table (from your 5k time trial)
| 5k time trial | T pace (threshold) | I pace (VO2max) |
|---|
| 19:00 | 4:07/km | 3:46/km |
| 19:30 | 4:13/km | 3:52/km |
| 20:00 | 4:19/km | 3:58/km |
| 20:21 · TT #1 | 4:20–4:25/km | 3:58–4:02/km |
| 20:30 | 4:25/km | 4:03/km |
Weeks 6–15 use the TT #1 row. Use your week 16 result for Phase 3. Sub-40 for 10k needs about 19:05–19:10 in a 5k, so you need to find roughly 75 s more.
Time trial #1 · Sat 31 Oct
| km | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total |
|---|
| Split | 3:57 | 3:57 | 4:10 | 4:09 | 4:07 | 20:26 for 5.02 km (≈20:21 for 5.00) |
- Avg HR 187, max 194. Brno, 9 °C, NNW wind ~13 km/h.
- You faded by about 12 s/km after 2 km. That's normal with no speed work yet. The Phase 2 I-pace sessions are what fixes it.
- An even-paced 20:21 would be about 4:04 every km. For TT #2, start at 4:00 and only push after 3 km.
- Because of the fade, this result is probably a few seconds slower than your real fitness, so the paces above are conservative. If T sessions feel easy at RPE 6, run the fast end of the range.
Paces and form
- Easy and long runs: 5:40–6:10/km, heart rate under about 150.
- Long run cap: about 16 km or 90 min, whichever comes first. Extra mileage goes into the Wednesday and Saturday runs instead.
- Strides: 4–6 × 20 s at RPE 7, fast but relaxed, with full recovery between them.
- Cadence: metronome at 168 in weeks 1–3, then 170. Land with your foot under your hips.
- T (threshold) and I (VO2max) paces come from your 5k time trial. See the pace table.
Hills
- Slope 5–8%. A 250–300 m rep takes about 60–75 s.
- Jog or walk back down easy. Running downhill puts the most load on your shins.
- Keep the same pace on every rep. Don't sprint the first ones.
Shin rules
- No pain the next morning: move on to the next week.
- Mild ache (≤3/10), gone the next day: repeat the same week.
- Pain getting worse, or still there the next day: drop back one week.
- Pain in one spot when you press it, or pain while walking or at night: stop running, keep cycling, see a physio.
Strength, 2 × per week
- Tibialis raises, 3 × 15–20
- Calf raises, straight knee and bent knee, slow down: 3 × 12 each
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift, 3 × 8 per leg
- Step-downs, 3 × 10 per leg
- From week 5: pogo hops, 3 × 20
- In Phase 2, do strength on easy days (Wed and Sat), never right before a quality session.
Bike
- Weekdays (no daylight): Thursday is a rest day, or an easy indoor ride of 45–60 min at RPE 2–3 on a trainer or a gym bike.
- Weekend option A: easy ride of 60–120 min on Saturday, after or instead of the easy run. This is the best slot.
- Weekend option B: easy spin of 30–60 min on Sunday afternoon, a few hours after the long run.
- Keep weekend rides at RPE 2–3: flat routes, no chasing segments. On time trial Saturdays (weeks 4 and 16), skip the ride or move it to Sunday.
- Bike km don't count toward running km. If your shins grumble, replace the Saturday easy run with a ride.
Shoes
- Retire the Aero Glide 3 with 908 km.
- Break in the new pair gradually: 2–3 runs in week 1, more after that.
- Rotate with the Ultra Glide 3 and the Sonicblast.