5K Pace Calculator
Calculate the per-km or per-mile pace for any 5K goal time, with km, mile, and 400m track-lap splits and parkrun context.
Your target 5K finish time. A 25-minute 5K requires a pace of 5:00/km (8:03/mi).
5K pace
(8:03 /mi)
Faster than 65% of parkrun finishers.
Finish time
25:00
Speed
12.0km/h
(7.5 mph)
Per 400 m
2:00/400m
5K splits5 splits of 1 km each.
| Split # | Distance | Split time | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.00 | 5:00 | 05:00 |
| 2 | 2.00 | 5:00 | 10:00 |
| 3 | 3.00 | 5:00 | 15:00 |
| 4 | 4.00 | 5:00 | 20:00 |
| 5 | 5.00 | 5:00 | 25:00 |
Calculate the per-km or per-mile pace for any 5K goal time. The 5K is a 5.0 km (3.10686 mi) race — 12.5 laps of a standard 400 m track — and remains the most popular distance in global participation, anchored by the parkrun network of free weekly events. This calculator returns your required pace per km, per mile, and per 400 m lap, plus speed in km/h and mph and a full splits table by your chosen interval. Below the calculator you'll find a goal-time lookup, parkrun median data for context, training prescriptions for a faster 5K, and an age-group benchmark table.
pace_km = goal_time ÷ 5.0 · pace_mi = pace_km × 1.60934- pace_km
- = Required pace in minutes per kilometer
- pace_mi
- = Required pace in minutes per mile
- goal_time
- = Target 5K finish time in decimal minutes
- 5.0
- = 5K race distance in kilometers (3.10686 mi)
Worked example — 25:00 5K
- goal_time = 25.000 min
- pace_km = 25.000 ÷ 5.0 = 5.000 min/km → 5:00/km
- pace_mi = 5.000 × 1.60934 = 8.047 min/mi → 8:03/mi
- speed_kmh = 60 ÷ 5.000 = 12.00 km/h
- per 400 m = 5.000 × 0.4 = 2.000 min → 2:00
- = 5:00/km (8:03/mi) · 12.00 km/h · 2:00/lap
Formula F1 from site/03-globals.md §formulas. Speed conversion uses F2; per-400m uses pace_km × 0.4. The fixed 5K distance means every goal time maps to a single pace — no need for distance entry.
| Goal Time | Pace /km | Pace /mi | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | 2:48 | 4:30 | 21.43 |
| 16:00 | 3:12 | 5:09 | 18.75 |
| 18:00 | 3:36 | 5:48 | 16.67 |
| 19:00 | 3:48 | 6:07 | 15.79 |
| 20:00 | 4:00 | 6:26 | 15.00 |
| 21:00 | 4:12 | 6:46 | 14.29 |
| 22:00 | 4:24 | 7:05 | 13.64 |
| 23:00 | 4:36 | 7:24 | 13.04 |
| 24:00 | 4:48 | 7:43 | 12.50 |
| 25:00 | 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.00 |
| 27:00 | 5:24 | 8:41 | 11.11 |
| 30:00 | 6:00 | 9:39 | 10.00 |
| 33:00 | 6:36 | 10:37 | 9.09 |
| 36:00 | 7:12 | 11:35 | 8.33 |
| 40:00 | 8:00 | 12:52 | 7.50 |
Where parkrun finishers land
Median parkrun finish time
28:00min:s
Roughly 5:36/km (9:01/mi). Source: parkrun aggregate 2024
Top 1% finish time
16:30min:s
Pace ~3:18/km (5:19/mi)
Top 10% finish time
21:00min:s
Pace ~4:12/km (6:46/mi)
25th percentile
24:30min:s
Pace ~4:54/km (7:53/mi)
75th percentile
32:00min:s
Pace ~6:24/km (10:18/mi)
90th percentile
38:00min:s
Pace ~7:36/km (12:14/mi); often run/walk
Preparing for a Faster 5K
Interval training
5×1000 m or 12×400 m at slightly faster than goal 5K pace, with equal recovery. Builds VO2 max and the ability to clear lactate. One session per week is plenty for most runners.
Tempo runs
20–30 minutes at threshold — the comfortably hard pace you could hold for ~1 hour in a race. Trains lactate clearance and is the highest-yield session for recreational runners.
Strides
6–8 × 100 m fast (not all-out) with full recovery, twice a week after easy runs. Improves running economy and form without adding fatigue.
Race simulation
A weekly parkrun or a fast time-trial 2–3 weeks before your goal race. Practices pacing, fueling, and the psychological discomfort of holding 5K effort under fatigue.
5K and 10K Compared
5K
- Distance: 5.0 km (3.10686 mi) — 12.5 laps of a 400 m track
- Effort: VO2 max — uncomfortable from minute 5 onward
- Training: 6–10 weeks; peak long run 8–12 km
- Recovery: 2–3 days for recreational runners
- Race strategy: Even pace; surge in the final 1 km if able
Accessible, parkrun-friendly, and the entry point for most race-goers
10K
- Distance: 10.0 km (6.21371 mi) — 25 laps of a 400 m track
- Effort: Threshold — sustainable but unrelenting
- Training: 8–12 weeks; peak long run 12–16 km
- Recovery: 4–7 days before quality training resumes
- Race strategy: Even split; conservative first km, finish-strong last 2
Twice the distance, ~10–15 % slower per km — the next step up from 5K
| Age | Male — good | Male — excellent | Female — good | Female — excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 21:00 | 17:00 | 25:00 | 20:00 |
| 20–29 | 22:00 | 18:00 | 26:00 | 21:00 |
| 30–39 | 23:00 | 19:00 | 27:00 | 22:00 |
| 40–49 | 24:30 | 20:00 | 28:30 | 23:00 |
| 50–54 | 26:00 | 21:30 | 30:00 | 24:30 |
| 55–59 | 27:30 | 22:30 | 32:00 | 26:00 |
| 60–64 | 29:00 | 23:30 | 34:00 | 27:30 |
| 65–69 | 31:00 | 25:30 | 36:00 | 29:30 |
| 70–74 | 33:30 | 27:30 | 39:00 | 31:30 |
| 75 + | 37:00 | 30:00 | 43:00 | 35:00 |
Explore More Running Tools
10K Pace Calculator
10K-specific pacing, splits, and realistic goal bands.
Running Pace Calculator
Any-distance pace and splits with training-zone guidance.
Race Time Predictor
Convert a recent race result into a realistic 10K, half, or marathon goal (Riegel).
Training Pace Calculator
Daniels VDOT zones — translate a recent 5K into Easy, Tempo, and Interval paces.
Age-Graded Running Calculator
Compare your 5K time across age and sex using WMA tables.
Sources
- 1.Pace-Time-Distance Formula (F1) — Kinematic identity — PaceSplit Methodology (accessed 2026-04-21)
- 2.Men's 5000 m world record 12:35.36 — Joshua Cheptegei, Monaco 2020 — World Athletics, 2020 (accessed 2026-04-21)
- 3.Women's 5000 m world record 14:00.21 — Letesenbet Gidey, Valencia 2020 — World Athletics, 2020 (accessed 2026-04-21)
- 4.parkrun aggregate finishing data — parkrun Global, 2024 (accessed 2026-04-21)
- 5.Daniels' Running Formula, 4th ed. — Daniels, J. (Human Kinetics), 2013 (accessed 2026-04-21)