Running pace zone calculator
Five running pace zones from your threshold pace or a recent race.
Your zones will appear here.
How to get your numbers
Threshold pace from a 5k test
Warm up for 15 minutes with 4-6 strides, then run 5 km all-out but evenly paced, on a flat route or track. Your threshold pace is about your 5k pace plus 12 seconds per km (20 seconds per mile).
From a recent race
A recent, flat race at a hard effort works too. Choose A recent race above and enter your finish time, and the calculator does the rest.
Got your numbers? Put them on your Garmin, Wahoo or COROS
Only do hard tests when you're fit and well. If you have a heart condition or any doubts, check with your doctor first.
How this is worked out
The zones
Each zone is a percentage of your threshold speed, and these are the zones we coach with. Zone 1 is up to 80%, zone 2 is 80 to 88%, zone 3 is 88 to 95%, zone 4 is 95 to 102%, and zone 5 is above 102%.
The sum
The percentages are of speed, so pace = threshold pace / percentage. With a threshold of 4:30 per km, the top of zone 2 is 4:30 / 0.88 = 5:07 per km.
What threshold means
The fastest pace you could hold for about an hour. We estimate it from a 5k as your 5k pace plus 12 seconds per km.
From a recent race
Your time is converted to an equivalent 5k with Riegel's formula, T2 = T1 x (D2 / D1)^1.06, where T is time and D is distance. We then add 12 seconds per km.
Why other calculators differ
There is no single standard for training zones. Calculators differ in how many zones they use, where they draw the lines, whether a percentage is of speed or of pace, and what test they count as threshold. Two can both be sensible and still give noticeably different numbers. Pick one set and stick with it, so your training stays consistent.