Pace table — finish times for every distance
A pace table shows how the same running speed translates into finish times across common race distances. Use it to set realistic goals, compare training paces, or see how a few seconds per kilometre add up over a marathon.
What is running pace?
Pace is how long you take to cover one kilometre or mile — usually written as minutes:seconds per km (min/km). A 5:00/km pace means five minutes per kilometre.
Unlike average speed in km/h, pace is intuitive for runners: lower numbers mean you are running faster. Most GPS watches and race splits use pace rather than speed.
How to use this pace table
Start by choosing kilometres or miles. Set a pace range that covers the speeds you care about — for example 4:00–5:59 min/km if you are targeting a sub-4-hour marathon.
Select the race distances you want to compare. The table shows the finish time for each pace row. Narrow the step size (1–30 seconds) to see finer differences.
Tip: find your current easy-run pace in the table, then look at the marathon column. That projected time is a rough ceiling if you could hold that pace for 42 km — useful as a sanity check, not a prediction.
Planning with pace splits
Even pacing is the safest strategy for most runners. If you aim for 3:30 in the marathon, every kilometre should be close to 4:58/km. A pace table lets you check intermediate targets — halfway in about 1:45, 30 km in about 2:29.
Negative splits (running the second half slightly faster) often feel better late in a race. Use the table to see what a 5–10 second per km improvement in the second half would mean for your finish time.
When comparing paces across distances, remember that the same effort level does not produce the same pace — you can sustain a faster min/km over 5 km than over a marathon.
Pace vs. speed
Speed in km/h is simply the inverse of pace. Running 6:00/km equals 10 km/h. The widget shows the speed range for your selected paces.
Some countries prefer min/mile. Toggle miles to see equivalent mile paces alongside kilometre times.
FAQ
How accurate is a pace table for my race?
It assumes perfectly even pacing on a flat course. Hills, weather, fuelling and fatigue mean real races rarely match the table exactly — use it as a planning guide, not a guarantee.
What pace should I aim for in my first marathon?
A common approach is to target a pace you can hold comfortably for 30–35 km in training, or use a recent half-marathon time and double it with 5–10 minutes added. The table helps you translate that half-marathon pace into a marathon projection.
Can I add custom distances?
Yes — type any distance like 8km, 15km or 6 mi in the custom field. Values are not converted automatically between units.