Training paces are targets for different intensities. Jack Daniels’ method converts a recent race into a VDOT score and then into paces for easy, marathon, threshold, interval and repetition running.[1][2] A 25:00 5K gives a VDOT of 38.3, an easy pace of 9:44 to 11:38 per mile and a threshold pace of about 8:29 per mile.
Equivalent race times
The same VDOT predicts a time at every distance. These equivalents assume you are trained for each distance, so the marathon figure is the most optimistic.
| Distance | Time | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 m | 6:51 | 7:21 |
| 1 mile | 7:24 | 7:24 |
| 3K | 14:34 | 7:49 |
| 5K | 25:00 | 8:03 |
| 10K | 51:53 | 8:21 |
| Half marathon | 1:55:04 | 8:47 |
| Marathon | 3:57:55 | 9:04 |
What each zone is for
- Easy (E). About 59 to 74% of VO2max or 65 to 79% of maximum heart rate. Conversational running that makes up most of the week.[2]
- Marathon (M). Your projected marathon race pace. Use it to practice race pace in long runs.[2]
- Threshold (T). About 83 to 88% of VO2max. Comfortably hard, run as a steady effort of 20 to 30 minutes or as repeats of 5 to 15 minutes with short rests.[2][3]
- Interval (I). About 95 to 100% of VO2max, in repeats of roughly 3 to 5 minutes. The Daniels app lists a range of 97 to 100%, and printed editions list 95 to 100%.[2][3]
- Repetition (R). Faster than interval pace, in short repeats of about 200 to 400 meters with full recovery. We use 1500 m race pace.[3]
Use more than one race
If you have two or three recent results, enter them all. The calculator finds the VDOT score for each race and averages them, which smooths out one unusually good or bad day. If the scores differ by more than about 3 points, your results are uneven, for example because one race was run in heat or on a hilly course, or because you are stronger at one distance. The tool then shows a note. In that case, base your training on the race closest to your goal distance. That 3-point threshold is a practical rule of thumb, not a research finding.
How the paces are calculated
- Convert the race to a velocity in meters per minute and a time in minutes.
- Oxygen cost: VO2 = −4.60 + 0.182258 × v + 0.000104 × v².
- Fraction of VO2max sustainable for that time: 0.8 + 0.1894393 × e^(−0.012778 × t) + 0.2989558 × e^(−0.1932605 × t).
- VDOT = VO2 ÷ that fraction.[1]
- For a training zone, multiply VDOT by the zone’s intensity and solve the oxygen cost equation for velocity. Equivalent race times come from solving the same equation for time.
Limits and cautions
- VDOT is a performance score. It combines VO2max, running economy and endurance, so it is not a lab VO2max result.[1]
- The formula was developed from the performances of highly trained runners, so it may fit other runners less closely.[4]
- Our paces come from the published formula and stated intensity ranges. They can differ by a few seconds from the printed tables and the Daniels app.
- Hard sessions raise injury risk if added too quickly. This is general information, not medical advice. See the disclaimer.
- This site is not affiliated with Jack Daniels or the V.O2 app. Names belong to their owners.
To turn a race goal into splits, use the 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon pace calculator. For another predictor, try the race time predictor, which uses Riegel’s formula.
Frequently asked questions
What is VDOT?
VDOT is a score from Jack Daniels’ system that turns a recent race result into one number for your current running ability. It is based on performance, so it is not the same as a lab-measured VO2max.
How do I use training paces?
Match each workout to a zone. Easy pace is conversational and fills most running time. Threshold pace is comfortably hard. Interval pace targets your aerobic power in repeats of about 3 to 5 minutes. Repetition pace is short and fast.
How often should I recalculate my paces?
Recalculate when you run a new race or time trial at full effort. An old or non-maximal result gives paces that are too slow, and a result from a downhill or tailwind course gives paces that are too fast.
Sources
- Daniels, J. and Gilbert, J. (1979). Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. The formulas are reproduced in the sources below.
- Daniels, J. (2014). Daniels’ Running Formula, 3rd edition. Human Kinetics.
- The Run S.M.A.R.T. Project, VDOT calculator page, which lists the intensity ranges and typical workout lengths.
- RunBundle, VO2 max calculator, which reproduces the Daniels and Gilbert formula and notes its basis in performances by elite runners.
