Training Pace Calculator
Calculate your optimal training paces for different workout types based on your recent race performances. Get personalized pace zones for easy runs, long runs, tempo runs, and more.
Training Pace Calculator
Calculate your ideal training paces based on a recent race performance
Recent Race Performance
Understanding Training Paces
Training at different intensities provides specific physiological benefits. By training at appropriate paces, you can maximize these benefits while minimizing injury risk. Here's what each training pace zone means:
Easy/Recovery Pace
Description: Very comfortable, conversation pace. You should be able to talk in complete sentences.
Benefits: Builds aerobic endurance, promotes recovery, improves fat utilization, and increases capillary density.
When to use: Recovery days, warm-ups, cool-downs, and for the majority (70-80%) of your weekly mileage.
Long Run Pace
Description: Comfortable but sustained effort. Slightly faster than easy pace but still conversational.
Benefits: Improves endurance, teaches your body to burn fat efficiently, and builds mental toughness.
When to use: Weekly long runs, especially during marathon training.
Marathon Pace
Description: Comfortably hard. You should be able to speak in short sentences.
Benefits: Teaches your body to sustain a challenging pace for long periods, improves running economy.
When to use: Marathon-specific workouts, tempo portions of long runs, race simulation workouts.
Threshold/Tempo Pace
Description: Challenging but sustainable. This is roughly your one-hour race pace.
Benefits: Increases lactate threshold, improves running economy, and builds mental toughness.
When to use: Tempo runs, threshold intervals (typically 3-5 minutes to 20-30 minutes).
Interval (VO2max) Pace
Description: Hard effort, approximately 5K race pace or slightly faster.
Benefits: Improves VO2max, running economy, and anaerobic capacity.
When to use: Interval workouts of 3-5 minutes with recovery between repetitions.
Repetition/Speed Pace
Description: Very hard effort, faster than 5K race pace.
Benefits: Improves running economy, neuromuscular coordination, and speed.
When to use: Short, fast repetitions (200m-800m) with full recovery between repeats.
Applying Training Paces to Your Schedule
For optimal training, mix different workout types throughout your week:
- 70-80% easy/recovery pace: Most of your weekly running should be at an easy, conversational pace
- 1-2 quality workouts per week: Include tempo runs, intervals, or repetitions depending on your goals
- One weekly long run: Gradually increase distance at your long run pace
- Recovery days: Easy runs or complete rest between hard efforts
Remember that these paces are guidelines, not rigid rules. Listen to your body and adjust based on factors like weather, fatigue, and terrain.
Sample Week Using Training Paces
Monday
Recovery: 30-40 min at easy pace
Tuesday
Quality: 6-8 x 800m at interval pace with 2-3 min recovery
Wednesday
Easy: 45-60 min at easy pace
Thursday
Tempo: 20 min at threshold pace
Friday
Rest or easy: 30 min recovery run
Saturday
Long run: 90+ min at long run pace
Sunday
Rest or cross-training