TRAINING PLANS
We want everyone to have the best experience possible at The Spectacle - and that starts well before race day.
That’s why we’ve created a range of free training plans to help you prepare, build confidence and arrive at the start line feeling ready to take on your challenge.
Our plans have been put together by experienced coaches Pete Pfitzinger (Pfitzinger Coaching - 5km) and Ali Pottinger (Stellar Run Coaching - 10km, 22km, 53km), with training designed to help you get the most out of your preparation and have your best possible day on race day.
GET RACE READY
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
This training plan is for novice runners who are preparing to run their first 5K race or for casual runners who typically run 2-3 times per week.
Your plan includes 4 runs and 1 optional aerobic cross-training workout (for example, cycling, swimming, elliptical training) per week.
The plan starts with 14 km in week 1 and builds up to 26 km.
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
This training plan is for runners who have been running at least 30 km per week. You have likely run several previous races of 5-10 km.
Your training plan includes 5 runs and 1 optional aerobic cross-training session (for example, cycling, swimming, elliptical training) per week.
The plan starts with 36 km in week 1 and builds up to 49 km.
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
This training plan is for runners who have been running at least 45 km per week. You are an experienced runner and have run several previous races of 5-10 km or longer.
Your training plan includes 6 runs and 1 optional aerobic cross-training session (for example, cycling, swimming, elliptical training) per week.
The plan starts with 57 km in week 1 and builds up to 69 km.
5KM PLANS
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
When starting this plan we would expect you to be running or walking a 5km and running a couple of days each week.
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
This plan is designed for runners who are already comfortable running for around 60 minutes and want to build confidence and trail-specific fitness for The Spectacle 10km.
10KM PLANS
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
When starting this plan we would expect to see you running at least 30 minutes at a time and up to 60 mins, and running 2-3 days per week.
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
When starting this program we would expect to see you running or walking a 1 hour long run and be heading out for a run a few days each week.
22KM PLANS
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Who’s this plan best suited for?
In starting this program we would expect to see you running a 2 hour long run, 1/2 marathon, or 30km trail run. This is the final 3 months to race day which will include course specific preparation, hills, long descents and notes on race prep and nutrition and gear.
53KM PLANS
MEET YOUR COACHES
PETE PFITZINGER
5KM TRAINING PLANSPete has over 30 years of experience coaching runners to achieve their goals. He is the co-author of the highly respected training guides Faster Road Racing and Advanced Marathoning.
As an elite athlete, Pete was the top American finisher in both the 1984 and 1988 Olympic marathons. He won the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and recorded a personal best of 2:11:43, later placing third at the 1987 New York City Marathon.
Alongside his competitive career, Pete has a strong background in exercise physiology, with research focused on lactate threshold measurement.
ALI POTTINGER
10KM, 22KM, 50KM TRAINING PLANSA coach since of 10+ years, Ali brings extensive experience across road, trail and ultra running, having raced distances up to 100km and supported athletes through events of up to 240km.
Ali holds an IAAF Level 4 Middle and Long Distance Coaching qualification, Lydiard Foundation Level 1 and 2 accreditation, a Bachelor of Education and qualifications in ultrarunning, strength and conditioning, sports nutrition and recreational running.
For Ali, coaching is about more than simply getting faster. It’s about creating training that fits into real life, building confidence, staying healthy and helping athletes achieve things they may not have thought possible.