Running Pace Calculator
Enter a recent race to get your VDOT, training paces, rep times and predicted times from 800 m to the marathon.
Your recent race
An all-out effort from the last couple of months.
| Distance | Time | Pace /km |
|---|---|---|
| 800m | ≈ 2:39.7 | 3:20 |
| 1500m | 5:24.8 | 3:37 |
| Mile | 5:51.0 | 3:38 |
| 3km | 11:35.1 | 3:52 |
| 2 Mile | 12:30.1 | 3:53 |
| 5kmYour race | 20:00 | 4:00 |
| 8km | 32:47 | 4:06 |
| 10kmOlympic tri | 41:28 | 4:09 |
| 15km | 1:03:46 | 4:15 |
| 10 Mile | 1:08:45 | 4:16 |
| Half Marathon70.3 | 1:31:50 | 4:21 |
| 25km | ≈ 1:50:05 | 4:24 |
| 30km | ≈ 2:13:38 | 4:27 |
| MarathonIronman | ≈ 3:11:17 | 4:32 |
≈ Rougher estimate: more than 4½ times shorter or longer than any race you entered, where individual speed and endurance make the biggest difference. A second race firms these up.
Predictions assume you've trained for the distance. Off the bike, expect to run slower, especially over longer distances.
| Zone | Pace /km |
|---|---|
Aerobic base, recovery, warm-ups and long runs. Conversational effort. | 4:54–5:53 |
Your predicted marathon race pace. Builds race-specific endurance. | 4:32 |
Comfortably hard. Raises the pace you can hold before fatigue builds quickly. | 4:16 |
Hard. Develops VO₂max, your aerobic ceiling. | 3:56 |
Fast and relaxed. Improves speed and running economy. | 3:43 |
| Rep | Threshold | Interval | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200m | – | – | 0:44.5 |
| 300m | – | – | 1:06.8 |
| 400m | – | 1:34.2 | 1:29.1 |
| 600m | – | 2:21 | 2:14 |
| 800m | – | 3:08 | – |
| 1000m | 4:16 | 3:56 | – |
| 1200m | 5:07 | 4:43 | – |
| Mile | 6:52 | – | – |
| 2000m | 8:32 | – | – |
Times are shown for the rep lengths each pace is normally run over: short, fast repetitions, 3–5 minute intervals and longer threshold reps.
Your triathlon thresholds
Saved on this deviceHow the running calculator works
Your race is converted into a VDOT score using the Daniels and Gilbert equations, which link running speed to oxygen cost and to the share of your maximum you can hold for a given time. Those equations are well tested from 1500 m to the marathon, and predictions over that range match Daniels' published tables.
Under 1500 m, anaerobic capacity does a lot of the work and the standard equations predict times that are too slow. For 800 m we scale from your 1500 m equivalent using the ratio seen between 800 m and 1500 m world records, and do the reverse when you enter an 800 m.
If you add a second race, the calculator lets your fitness score vary with distance, so a runner with a quick mile and a modest half marathon gets faster short predictions and steadier long ones. Each training pace uses the score for the kind of race it relates to.
The training paces
- Easy: 59–74% of VDOT. Base mileage, long runs and recovery.
- Marathon: your predicted marathon pace.
- Threshold: 88% of VDOT. Tempo runs and cruise intervals.
- Interval: 97.5% of VDOT. Reps of three to five minutes.
- Repetition: faster than interval pace, for short reps with full recovery.
Common questions
What is VDOT?
VDOT is Jack Daniels' measure of running fitness. It's worked out from a race result using equations for the oxygen cost of running and how long you can sustain a given share of your maximum, so it reflects your economy as well as your aerobic capacity. A higher VDOT means faster race times and training paces.
How accurate are the race predictions?
They're most reliable close to the distance you raced. Predicting a marathon from a 5K, or an 800 m from a half marathon, depends heavily on whether you're more of a speed or endurance athlete, so those predictions are marked as rougher estimates. Adding a second race over a different distance lets the calculator learn your balance of speed and endurance.
Which race should I enter?
A recent, flat, all-out race or time trial. The closer the distance is to your goal race, the better. A parkrun is fine if you ran it hard.
How should triathletes use these paces?
The training paces work the same way for triathletes. For race day, expect to run slower off the bike than your open-race predictions, especially at 70.3 and Ironman distances, and pace the first kilometres conservatively.