Challenger
Your 20 week training plan to get you from 10 K to a full marathon.
Training plan guidance
Easy jogging and walking
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.
Interval sessions
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.
Gym sessions and cross-training
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
Challenger – PDF training plan
The complete 20-week training plan available for print.
Week | Day | Activity |
---|---|---|
Week 1 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 1 | Tuesday | Easy run. 25 minutes |
Week 1 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 15 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 2 times |
Week 1 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 1 | Friday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 1 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 1 | Sunday | Long run. 8 km |
Week 2 | Monday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 2 | Tuesday | Rest |
Week 2 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 1 km run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 6 times |
Week 2 | Thursday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 2 | Friday | Easy run. 25 minutes |
Week 2 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 2 | Sunday | Event day. 10 km run |
Week 3 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 3 | Tuesday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 3 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 5 minute run, followed by 60 seconds rest – do this 5 times |
Week 3 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 3 | Friday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 3 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 3 | Sunday | Long run. 11 km |
Week 4 | Monday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 4 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 4 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 8 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 5 times |
Week 4 | Thursday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 4 | Friday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 4 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 4 | Sunday | Long run. 12 km |
Week 5 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 5 | Tuesday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 5 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 10 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 5 times |
Week 5 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 5 | Friday | Easy run. 45 minutes |
Week 5 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 5 | Sunday | Long run. 14 km |
Week 6 | Monday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 6 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 6 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 15 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 2 times |
Week 6 | Thursday | Rest day |
Week 6 | Friday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 6 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 6 | Sunday | Long run. 8 km |
Week 7 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 7 | Tuesday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 7 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 20 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest followed by 5 minutes run – do this 3 times |
Week 7 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 7 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 7 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 7 | Sunday | Long run. 15 km |
Week 8 | Monday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 8 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 8 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 25 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 3 times |
Week 8 | Thursday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 8 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 8 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 8 | Sunday | Long run. 16 km |
Week 9 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 9 | Tuesday | Easy run. 45 minutes |
Week 9 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 30 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest– do this 3 times |
Week 9 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 9 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 9 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 9 | Sunday | Long run. 18 km |
Week 10 | Monday | Easy run. 25 minutes |
Week 10 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 10 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 20 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 3 times. |
Week 10 | Thursday | Rest day |
Week 10 | Friday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 10 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 10 | Sunday | Long run. 12 km |
Week 11 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 11 | Tuesday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 11 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 10 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 2 times. Then a 5 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest - do this 2 times |
Week 11 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 11 | Friday | Easy run. 15 minutes |
Week 11 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 11 | Sunday | Event day. Half marathon |
Week 12 | Monday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 12 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 12 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 30 minute run, followed by 2 minutes rest - do this 2 times |
Week 12 | Thursday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 12 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 12 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 12 | Sunday | Long run. 23 km |
Week 13 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 13 | Tuesday | Easy run. 55 minutes |
Week 13 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 60 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest. Then a 15 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest - do this 2 times |
Week 13 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 13 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 13 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 13 | Sunday | Long run. 25 km |
Week 14 | Monday | Easy run, 35 minutes |
Week 14 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 14 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 60 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest. Then a 30 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest. |
Week 14 | Thursday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 14 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 14 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 14 | Sunday | Long run. 27 km |
Week 15 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 15 | Tuesday | Easy run. 60 minutes |
Week 15 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 15 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 5 times. Then a 5 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest - do this 3 times |
Week 15 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 15 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 15 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 15 | Sunday | Long run. 29 km |
Week 16 | Monday | Easy run. 25 minutes |
Week 16 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 16 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 30 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 2 times |
Week 16 | Thursday | Rest day |
Week 16 | Friday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 16 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 16 | Sunday | Long run. 15 km |
Week 17 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 17 | Tuesday | Easy run. 65 minutes |
Week 17 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 20 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest - do this 4 times |
Week 17 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 17 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 17 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 17 | Sunday | Event day. 20 miles |
Week 18 | Monday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 18 | Tuesday | Rest day |
Week 18 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 45 minute run, followed by 90 seconds minute rest. Then a 15 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest. Then a 10 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest - do this 2 times |
Week 18 | Thursday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 18 | Friday | Easy run. 50 minutes |
Week 18 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 18 | Sunday | Long run. 16 km |
Week 19 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 19 | Tuesday | Easy run. 45 minutes |
Week 19 | Wednesday | Interval training. A 15 minute run, followed by 90 seconds minute rest - do this 3 times |
Week 19 | Thursday | Gym or cross-training session |
Week 19 | Friday | Easy run. 35 minutes |
Week 19 | Saturday | Rest day |
Week 19 | Sunday | Long run. 10 km |
Week 20 | Monday | Rest day |
Week 20 | Tuesday | Easy run. 40 minutes |
Week 20 | Wednesday | Easy run. 30 minutes |
Week 20 | Thursday | Rest |
Week 20 | Friday | Easy run. 20 minutes |
Week 20 | Saturday | Rest |
Week 20 | Sunday | Event day. Marathon |
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