5K pace chart: your pace per mile for every goal from 15 to 45 minutes

Minute by minute: pace, speed, mile splits, the vVO2max you need, and your training paces.

By the RunRun team · Updated October 13, 2026

At a glance

Running a 25-minute 5K means holding 8:03 /mi (7.5 mph). For 30 minutes, it's 9:39 /mi; for a 20-minute 5K, 6:26 /mi. Your pace is simply your goal time divided by 3.1 miles.

The 5K is raced very close to vVO2max, around 90 to 95%: a 25-minute 5K takes a vVO2max of about 8.3 mph. It's also the best fitness test there is for predicting your 10K, half marathon and marathon times.

Pace per mile, speed and splits for every goal time

Even pace from start to finish. Underlined goal times link to the matching training plan.

GoalPaceSpeed1 mi split2 mi split3 mi splitvVO2max
15 min4:50 /mi · 3:00 /km12.4 mph4:509:3914:2913.4 mph
16 min5:09 /mi · 3:12 /km11.7 mph5:0910:1815:2712.6 mph
17 min5:28 /mi · 3:24 /km11.0 mph5:2810:5716:2511.9 mph
18 min5:48 /mi · 3:36 /km10.4 mph5:4811:3517:2311.3 mph
19 min6:07 /mi · 3:48 /km9.8 mph6:0712:1418:2110.7 mph
20 min6:26 /mi · 4:00 /km9.3 mph6:2612:5219:1910.2 mph
21 min6:46 /mi · 4:12 /km8.9 mph6:4613:3120:179.8 mph
22 min7:05 /mi · 4:24 /km8.5 mph7:0514:1021:159.3 mph
23 min7:24 /mi · 4:36 /km8.1 mph7:2414:4822:139.0 mph
24 min7:43 /mi · 4:48 /km7.8 mph7:4315:2723:108.6 mph
25 min8:03 /mi · 5:00 /km7.5 mph8:0316:0624:088.3 mph
26 min8:22 /mi · 5:12 /km7.2 mph8:2216:4425:068.0 mph
27 min8:41 /mi · 5:24 /km6.9 mph8:4117:2326:047.7 mph
28 min9:01 /mi · 5:36 /km6.7 mph9:0118:0127:027.4 mph
29 min9:20 /mi · 5:48 /km6.4 mph9:2018:4028:007.2 mph
30 min9:39 /mi · 6:00 /km6.2 mph9:3919:1928:586.9 mph
31 min9:59 /mi · 6:12 /km6.0 mph9:5919:5729:566.7 mph
32 min10:18 /mi · 6:24 /km5.8 mph10:1820:3630:546.5 mph
33 min10:37 /mi · 6:36 /km5.6 mph10:3721:1531:526.3 mph
34 min10:57 /mi · 6:48 /km5.5 mph10:5721:5332:506.2 mph
35 min11:16 /mi · 7:00 /km5.3 mph11:1622:3233:486.0 mph
36 min11:35 /mi · 7:12 /km5.2 mph11:3523:1034:465.8 mph
37 min11:55 /mi · 7:24 /km5.0 mph11:5523:4935:445.7 mph
38 min12:14 /mi · 7:36 /km4.9 mph12:1424:2836:425.5 mph
39 min12:33 /mi · 7:48 /km4.8 mph12:3325:0637:405.4 mph
40 min12:52 /mi · 8:00 /km4.7 mph12:5225:4538:375.3 mph
45 min14:29 /mi · 9:00 /km4.1 mph14:2928:5843:274.7 mph

vVO2max: the speed you can hold all-out for about 6 minutes (6-minute run test, what French coaches call VMA), derived from Jack Daniels' VDOT model, which accounts for how long the effort lasts.

Your pace for any goal time

Enter your goal time (for example 25:00) to get your pace per mile, speed, the vVO2max it takes, and a split at every mile marker.

Pace
8:03 /mi
5:00 /km
Pace to see on your watch
7:58 /mi
Speed
7.5 mph
vVO2max needed
8.3 mph

The "watch" pace makes up for the roughly 1% of extra distance GPS adds on a typical road course.

Mile-by-mile splits
1 mi8:03
2 mi16:06
3 mi24:08
3.11 mi25:00

Your training paces for every goal time

Based on Jack Daniels' VDOT model, the same engine behind RunRun training plans. Paces in min/mi.

GoalGoal paceEasy paceThreshold (tempo)Interval pace
15 min4:506:02 – 6:575:144:49
16 min5:096:24 – 7:235:345:07
17 min5:286:47 – 7:495:535:25
18 min5:487:09 – 8:156:135:43
19 min6:077:32 – 8:416:326:01
20 min6:267:54 – 9:066:526:19
21 min6:468:16 – 9:317:116:37
22 min7:058:38 – 9:577:316:55
23 min7:249:00 – 10:227:507:13
24 min7:439:23 – 10:478:107:31
25 min8:039:44 – 11:128:297:49
26 min8:2210:06 – 11:368:488:07
27 min8:4110:28 – 12:019:088:25
28 min9:0110:50 – 12:259:278:42
29 min9:2011:12 – 12:509:469:00
30 min9:3911:33 – 13:1410:059:18
31 min9:5911:55 – 13:3810:249:36
32 min10:1812:16 – 14:0210:439:54
33 min10:3712:37 – 14:2511:0310:11
34 min10:5712:59 – 14:4911:2210:29
35 min11:1613:20 – 15:1211:4110:47
36 min11:3513:41 – 15:3611:5911:04
37 min11:5514:02 – 15:5912:1811:22
38 min12:1414:23 – 16:2212:3711:40
39 min12:3314:44 – 16:4512:5611:57
40 min12:5215:05 – 17:0813:1512:15
45 min14:2916:48 – 19:0014:4813:43

A 5K training plan built around your goal time

Use our free tools to optimize your training and reach your goals.

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How to calculate your 5K pace

Pace per mile = goal time ÷ 3.11 miles. For 27 minutes: 27 ÷ 3.11 = 8.68 min, or 8:41 /mi. Speed in mph = 186.4 ÷ time in minutes: 186.4 ÷ 27 = 6.9 mph.

5K race strategy

The 5K is short but intense. The classic mistake is a first mile 20 to 30 seconds too fast, which you pay for in mile 2.

  • Warm up for 15 minutes, with 3 or 4 strides: in a 5K there is no time to ease into the race.
  • Mile 1: goal pace, even if it feels too easy.
  • Mile 2: the hardest one. Stay locked onto your pace.
  • The last 1.1 miles: everything you have left.

Training paces to get faster at 5K

For a 5K, short intervals at vVO2max (30/30s, 200s to 400s) and threshold (tempo) runs do most of the race-specific work, on top of a base of easy running. The second chart gives these paces for every goal time.

Frequently asked questions

What pace is a 25 minute 5K?

8:03 /mi (7.5 mph). You'll need a vVO2max of about 8.3 mph. The 10K equivalent is about 51:50.

What pace do I need for a sub-30 5K?

9:39 /mi (6.2 mph). Splits: 9:39 at mile 1, 19:19 at mile 2, then hold on for the last 1.1 miles. vVO2max needed: about 6.9 mph.

What pace do I need for a sub-20 5K?

6:26 /mi (9.3 mph). Splits: 6:26 at mile 1, 12:52 at mile 2. You'll need a vVO2max of about 10.2 mph; the 10K equivalent is about 41:30.

What is a good 5K time for a beginner?

Between 30 and 35 minutes for a first 5K run without walking. Sub-25 is a solid level for a regular runner; sub-20 is the mark of an experienced, well-trained runner.

How many miles is a 5K?

3.1 miles (3.11 to be exact). Mile markers on a 5K course come at 1, 2 and 3, leaving a final 0.1-mile stretch to the finish.

What pace is a 22 minute 5K?

7:05 /mi (8.5 mph). The 10K equivalent is about 45:40 and the vVO2max needed about 9.3 mph.

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