Jump straight down to the training pace calculator
When going for your next run, it’s important to know roughly what training pace to aim at. Even on an easy run, it’s good to know you are matching your pace to the purpose of the session, i.e. not over-doing it!
This training pace calculator is easy to use – simply choose if you want the predicted paces in minutes per KM or minutes per Mile and then enter how long a recent 5K race or time trial took you. It will then calculate your training paces. For example if you want a tempo pace calculator for your next session, you’ll get an estimate of how fast you should be going. For more details on what all these paces are used for in your training, read on after the training pace calculator.
Training Pace Calculator
The various types of paces predicted by this training pace calculator are:
- Your Easy Run pace
- Your Marathon effort pace
- Your Threshold / Tempo pace
- Your VO2Max pace
- Your 200metres repetitions time in seconds (double it for 400m, etc.)
Easy Run pace calculator
This should be the pace of most of your runs. It feels easy. You should be able to say a sentence of about this length out loud without taking a breath. It improves your endurance.
Marathon effort pace calculator
When getting near a Marathon race, you can do some of your shorter workouts at race pace so your body gets used to what it feels like. This pace is also useful for beginner runners, who should still be building their aerobic base and strength with lots easy runs – they can use this pace to try out a slightly faster pace without reaching Threshold pace (Threshold / Tempo is tough and of limited benefit until the aerobic base is starting to build).
Lactate Threshold / Tempo run pace calculator
Threshold or Tempo run pace is roughly whatever you can keep up for an hour. It’s the pace at which your body is running fast enough to be using lactate most efficiently. If you run faster, lactate will be produced faster than you can use it and hydrogen ions will build up, eventually causing a burning feeling in the legs. Your aim is to finish the session having run comfortably hard, but without burning in the legs. It improves your ability to produce and use lactate.
As long as the conditions in your Tempo run are similar to the conditions during that 5K, the tempo run pace calculated for you will be great starting point. You can then adjust it as you get more experience. Ideally you’d want to stay just below the effort at which your legs start to get that buuurning sensation. If you want to know more about Tempo runs, their purpose and how to run them, check out this Tempo Run Definition article.
The Tempo pace is also referred to as Threshold pace interchangeably, so if you are looking for a Threshold pace calculator, you are also in the right place.
VO2Max pace calculator
This is the pace at which you use the most oxygen. It’s faster than Threshold, so you’ll be building up lactate – training at this pace is best done over short durations between 3 to 5 minutes, a few times in a session. It might therefore be an 800m rep. It improves your ability to use oxygen while running fast, plus also prompt adaptations in muscles, fascia and neurological areas.
200 metres repetitions time in seconds
This is the time it would take you to run EACH 200 metres during a speed session. So if the repetition is a 400m, just double this time. You should not be doing more than 2 minutes when doing reps at this speed. Therefore, most runners won’t do much more than 400m or 600m. The very fastest runners might do 800m. It improves your anaerobic power. It trains you to run fast with good running form.
What this calculator can’t do
These paces should be taken as guidelines. Listen to your body – if a session feels too fast, perhaps you aren’t ready for it yet, or maybe you need more rest, or maybe you are getting ill. This calculator can’t know better than you!
Additionally, you need to remember that your pace needs to change depending on conditions so that the effort level is right for the session. If it’s a hot day, slow down. If it’s off-road, your pace will naturally be slower due to uneven or softer terrain. If you run on hills, your pace will be all over the place!
You are probably using this training pace calculator because you are following a training plan to improve your running. Perhaps you’d also be interested in checking out the race time predictor calculator to see how you might perform in your next race.
