Goal time · 5K
A 21:00 5K works out to 6:46 per mile, or 4:12 per kilometer. Below are the mile splits for a slightly faster second half, the halfway time to aim for, and the training paces that go with this goal.
The numbers
This plan starts about 1% slower than goal pace and finishes about 1% faster, so the second half is slightly quicker than the first. The elapsed column is what your watch should read as you pass each marker.
| Mile | Pace for That Mile | Elapsed Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6:49 | 6:49 |
| Halfway (1.6) | 6:46 | 10:34 |
| 2 | 6:45 | 13:35 |
| 3 | 6:43 | 20:17 |
| Finish (3.1) | 6:41 | 21:00 |
Measured against the latest published results of 5,229 5K races on RunSesh.
One edition per race, from RunSignup races with published results. Fields include walkers and charity entrants, so this describes these races, not every runner in the country.
These are the paces for a runner who can already race a 21:00 5K, worked out with Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas, the method behind the training tables in Daniels' Running Formula. If your most recent race is slower, train at the paces on the page for that time.
Most of your weekly miles, including the long run.
Steady longer runs at the pace this fitness would hold for a marathon.
A steady run of about 20 minutes, or longer repeats with short rests.
Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes, with easy jogs between.
In their 2008 Sports Medicine review, Abbiss and Laursen found that during events lasting more than two minutes, distributing pace more evenly may improve finish times. The plan here targets a slightly faster second half mainly as a brake on the first. At the halfway marker, check whether you feel controlled rather than spent, and adjust from there.
Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas treat a 6:09 mile as the same performance as a 21:00 5K, placing this goal at a VDOT of about 47. If a recent mile is clearly slower than that, the 21:00 target may be ahead of current fitness.
The RRCA pace chart, developed by Amby Burfoot, states it plainly: "don't begin with a future goal time. To do so increases risk of injury and/or overtraining." Base any pace work on what you have actually raced.
USATF measures certified courses along the Shortest Possible Route, including a prevention factor. A runner who drifts wide of that line covers more than the stated distance. When that happens, a watch averaging pace over a longer distance can display a faster pace than you actually ran over the course.
Daniels and Gilbert's formulas treat a 43:32 10K as equivalent to a 21:00 5K. If you have a recent 10K, comparing it to that mark gives you a grounded read on whether a 21:00 5K reflects your current fitness.
