Free calculator

5K Pace Calculator

Enter your 5K time and see your race pace per km and per mile, plus your VDOT training zones — the paces your easy runs, tempo sessions, and speed intervals should hit.

Enter your 5K time

This is just today's pace

Most runners who drop their 5K time credit half-marathon training.

The VDOT zones are identical — you're just building a bigger aerobic engine. Many runners PR their 5K in the middle of an HM training block.

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5K pace reference table

Race pace per kilometre and mile for common 5K finish times.

5K timeper kmper mile
18:003:365:47
20:004:006:26
22:004:247:05
25:005:008:03
28:005:369:01
30:006:009:39
35:007:0011:16

How the paces are calculated

Your 5K time is first converted to an equivalent half-marathon time using the Riegel formula (T₂ = T₁ × (D₂/D₁)^1.06). From there, Jack Daniels' VDOT methodology derives your training zones: easy runs at 1.13–1.25× your half-marathon pace, tempo at ~0.91×, speed intervals at ~0.85×, and long runs at ~1.20×. These multipliers reflect the physiological stimulus each intensity targets, not arbitrary percentages.

Common questions

What does this 5K pace calculator show?

It shows your race pace per kilometre and per mile for your 5K goal time, plus four VDOT training zones derived from that time: easy (aerobic base), tempo (lactate threshold), speed (VO₂max intervals), and long run. These are the same paces used by elite coaches following Jack Daniels' methodology.

What are VDOT training zones?

VDOT is Jack Daniels' intensity system that assigns each runner a fitness number based on race performance, then derives effort-specific training paces from it. Easy runs build aerobic base without excess fatigue; tempo runs push your lactate threshold; speed intervals develop VO₂max; long runs build endurance. Running in the right zone on the right day is what separates structured training from junk miles.

Will training for a half marathon improve my 5K time?

Yes — the training zones for a half marathon and a 5K overlap almost entirely. Tempo and speed work that raises your HM fitness also raises your 5K ceiling. Many runners run their 5K personal best during the middle weeks of a half-marathon training block, before taper.

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