Goal time · 10K
A 50:00 10K works out to 8:03 per mile, or 5:00 per kilometer. Below are the mile splits for a slightly faster second half, the halfway time to aim for, and the training paces that go with this goal.
The numbers
This plan starts about 1% slower than goal pace and finishes about 1% faster, so the second half is slightly quicker than the first. The elapsed column is what your watch should read as you pass each marker.
| Mile | Pace for That Mile | Elapsed Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:08 | 8:08 |
| 2 | 8:06 | 16:13 |
| 3 | 8:04 | 24:17 |
| Halfway (3.1) | 8:03 | 25:09 |
| 4 | 8:02 | 32:19 |
| 5 | 8:00 | 40:20 |
| 6 | 7:58 | 48:18 |
| Finish (6.2) | 7:57 | 50:00 |
Measured against the latest published results of 1,767 10K races on RunSesh.
One edition per race, from RunSignup races with published results. Fields include walkers and charity entrants, so this describes these races, not every runner in the country.
These are the paces for a runner who can already race a 50:00 10K, worked out with Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas, the method behind the training tables in Daniels' Running Formula. If your most recent race is slower, train at the paces on the page for that time.
Most of your weekly miles, including the long run.
Steady longer runs at the pace this fitness would hold for a marathon.
A steady run of about 20 minutes, or longer repeats with short rests.
Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes, with easy jogs between.
Abbiss and Laursen's 2008 review in Sports Medicine concluded that during prolonged events lasting more than two minutes, distributing pace more evenly may improve performance times. Acting on that finding, the plan keeps the first half conservative so the second half ends up a touch faster, which keeps the overall effort close to even rather than front-loaded. At the halfway marker, check whether you feel in control before deciding whether to hold or press.
Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas treat a 1:50:52 half marathon as the same performance as a 50:00 10K. The RRCA pace chart's guidance is clear on where to start: "don't begin with a future goal time. To do so increases risk of injury and/or overtraining."
The same chart notes that "A 5k is a better predictor of a 10k than a marathon," so a recent 5K gives you a more reliable read on this goal than a longer race does.
USATF measures certified courses along the shortest possible route, with a prevention factor built in. A runner who drifts from that line covers more distance than the course is marked for, which means a watch can show a faster average pace than the course itself reflects.
Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas treat a 24:06 5K as equivalent to a 50:00 10K. If your most recent 5K was close to that time, it gives you a grounded check on whether a 50:00 10K effort sits within your current fitness.
