Starter

Your 12 week training plan to get you from zero to 10K.

Training plan guidance

An 'easy' jog or walk means a 'recovery run'. Keep your heart rate at about 60-70% of the maximum, and go at a pace where you can chat comfortably.

For example, "8 x 2 minutes (60 seconds rest)", means that you run for 2 minutes, then stop and recover for 60 seconds, repeating this 8 times.

All 2 minute reps should be at a consistent pace – or getting faster towards the end – so don't start too quickly! These runs should be at a faster pace than the easy runs, working near your maximum.

To complement your running, we recommend you do some gym or cross-training sessions.

Engaging in activities like swimming, weight training, strength training, or cycling involves using different parts of the body, unlike running.

Training plan

Starter – PDF training plan

The complete 12-week training plan available for print.

Let's get started. The 12 week training plan.
You can fast walk instead of jogging if preferred.
Week Day Activity
Week 1 Monday Rest day
Week 1 Tuesday Interval training. A 1 minute jog or fast walk, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 12 times
Week 1 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 1 Thursday Rest day
Week 1 Friday Interval training. A 5 minute jog or fast walk, followed by a 2 minute rest – do this 3 times
Week 1 Saturday Rest day
Week 1 Sunday Interval training. A 500m jog or walk followed by a 500m walk - do this 2 times
Week 2 Monday Rest day
Week 2 Tuesday Interval training. A 5 minute jog or fast walk, followed by a 1 minute rest - do this 3 times
Week 2 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 2 Thursday Rest day
Week 2 Friday Interval training. A 10 minute jog or fast walk, followed by a 2 minute rest – do this 2 times
Week 2 Saturday Rest day
Week 2 Sunday Event day. 2.5 km run
Week 3 Monday Rest day
Week 3 Tuesday 15 minutes run
Week 3 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 3 Thursday Rest day
Week 3 Friday Interval training. A 6 minute run, followed by a 1 minute rest – do this 3 times
Week 3 Saturday Rest day
Week 3 Sunday Long run. 3 km
Week 4 Monday Rest day
Week 4 Tuesday Interval training. A 1.5 km jog, followed by 1 km walk - do this 2 times
Week 4 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 4 Thursday Rest day
Week 4 Friday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 4 Saturday Rest day
Week 4 Sunday Interval training. A 1 km jog, followed by 1 km walk - do this 2 times
Week 5 Monday Rest day
Week 5 Tuesday Interval training. A 6 minute run, followed by a 2 minute rest walk – do this 4 times
Week 5 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 5 Thursday Rest day
Week 5 Friday Interval training. A 1 km run, followed 90 seconds rest - do this 4 times
Week 5 Saturday Rest day
Week 5 Sunday Event day. 5 km run
Week 6 Monday Rest day
Week 6 Tuesday Interval training. A 5 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 2 times
Week 6 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 6 Thursday Rest day
Week 6 Friday Long run. 2 km
Week 6 Saturday Rest day
Week 6 Sunday Long run. 3 km 
Week 7 Monday Rest day
Week 7 Tuesday Interval training. A 1.5 km run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 3 times
Week 7 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 7 Thursday Rest day
Week 7 Friday Interval training. A 1 km run, followed by 1 minute rest - do this 4 times
Week 7 Saturday Rest day
Week 7 Sunday Interval training. A 3.5 km run, followed by 2 minutes rest - do this 2 times
Week 8 Monday Rest day
Week 8 Tuesday Interval training. A 3 km run, followed by 2 minutes rest – do this 2 times
Week 8 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 8 Thursday Rest day
Week 8 Friday Interval training. A 2 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 10 times
Week 8 Saturday Rest day
Week 8 Sunday Long run. 7 km
Week 9 Monday Rest day
Week 9 Tuesday Easy run. 25 minutes
Week 9 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 9 Thursday Rest day
Week 9 Friday Interval training. A 1 km run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 5 times
Week 9 Saturday Rest day
Week 9 Sunday Event day. 5 mile run
Week 10 Monday Rest day
Week 10 Tuesday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 10 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 10 Thursday Rest day
Week 10 Friday Interval training. A 10 minute, followed by 30 seconds rest – do this 2 times
Week 10 Saturday Rest day
Week 10 Sunday Long run. 8 km
Week 11 Monday Rest day
Week 11 Tuesday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 11 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 11 Thursday Rest day
Week 11 Friday Long run. 5 km
Week 11 Saturday Rest day
Week 11 Sunday Interval training. A 4.5 km run, followed by 90 seconds rest - do this 2 times
Week 12 Monday Rest day
Week 12 Tuesday Long run. 4 km
Week 12 Wednesday Rest day
Week 12 Thursday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 12 Friday Rest day
Week 12 Saturday Rest day
Week 12 Sunday Event day. 10 km run