10k run training: The final week

Your last week of training is important and as with all training, what works best for you will vary depending on what experience you have as a runner. But here are some good guidelines to stick to in your final week.

The final seven days before the race

The most important thing to remember is not to do anything in this last week that you’re not used to or might cause injury. If you normally include resistance training as part of your weekly routine, this is the week to try to avoid the sessions that make you tired or take a long time to recover from. You’ll know these sessions well as they have probably stopped you from training in the past. Generally speaking you should still keep up your training but should do less in total and have more rest.

Three to five days before the race

It's a good idea to include some high intensity training three to five days before race day to keep your body used to that level of intensity but give it enough time to recover before race day.

Two days before the race

Two days before your race you should include a full rest day and really use it to rest mentally as well as physically. This is a good day to start packing or ticking off your race day to-do list.

The day before the race

The day before your race you should complete a short session. This should include a few short intense bursts where you accelerate to race pace or slightly faster. Then spend some time prepping for your race, eat your dinner as normal and make sure you create some time to relax and unwind in the evening before you go to sleep.

Last updated Thursday 27 December 2018

First published on Thursday 7 January 2016