The pace you need
Breaking 20 minutes is the mark many club runners chase in the 5K. It asks for 4:00 per kilometer, and there is little room to recover from a fast start: going through the first kilometer in 3:50 feels easy on fresh legs and usually costs more in the third kilometer than it saved.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Pace per km to hold | 4:00 (finishes in 20:00) |
| Pace per mile to hold | 6:26 (finishes in 19:59) |
| Exact average pace | 4:00.0 /km · 6:26.2 /mi |
| Speed | 15.0 km/h · 9.3 mph |
| Halfway at even pace | 10:00 |
The paces above are rounded down to the second, so holding them gets you home just inside the goal.
Checkpoint times
What your watch should read at each marker for an even-paced race, and for a plan where the second half is 2% faster than the first. A 2% negative split means going through halfway in 10:06 and running the second half in 9:54.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | 2% negative split |
|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 4:00 | 4:04 |
| 1 mile | 6:26 | 6:32 |
| 2 km | 8:00 | 8:06 |
| Halfway | 10:00 | 10:06 |
| 3 km | 12:00 | 12:06 |
| 2 miles | 12:52 | 12:58 |
| 4 km | 16:00 | 16:04 |
| 3 miles | 19:19 | 19:20 |
| Finish | 20:00 | 20:00 |
How to pace a sub-20 5K
- Run the first kilometer between 3:58 and 4:02. If it feels easy, that is the point.
- The third kilometer is where most sub-20 attempts slip. Pick a runner just ahead and hold their pace.
- Save the kick for the last 400 meters. A sprint that starts a kilometer out rarely lasts.
Want the numbers on your wrist? The pace band generator prints a strip with the elapsed time at every kilometer or mile.
Training paces for this goal
A sub-20 5K scores a VDOT of about 49.8 on the scale from Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. These are the training paces that go with that score, using Daniels’ intensities: easy running at 59 to 74% of VO2 max, threshold at 88% and intervals at 97.5%.
| Session | Per km | Per mile | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4:54 to 5:53 | 7:54 to 9:28 | Most of your weekly running, including long runs |
| Marathon | 4:32 | 7:18 | Steady segments of long runs |
| Threshold | 4:16 | 6:52 | Tempo runs of about 20 minutes, or cruise intervals |
| Interval | 3:56 | 6:19 | Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recovery |
Train at the paces for the fitness you have now, not the goal. If your recent races are slower, use the VO2 max calculator with a recent result and move to these paces as your races improve.
8-week sub-20 5K training plan
Built on the training paces above: 5 runs a week, a peak week of 44.4 km and a longest run of 13 km. Paces start from your current fitness and move to goal pace over three phases, with a 5K time trial in week 4 to check progress and a two-week taper before race day.
It suits you if
- You run about 5 times a week, around 32 km in total.
- Your longest run in the last month is at least 6 km.
- A recent race of about 20:43 for the 5K or 42:57 for the 10K. The plan closes the gap from there to the goal.
Week 1 and a week from the build phase, free
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Easy 6 km5:04 to 6:05 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Wed | Easy 6 km5:04 to 6:05 /km | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Thu | Easy 6 km5:04 to 6:05 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 6 km5:04 to 6:05 /km | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Sun | Long run 8 kmEasy, 5:04 to 6:05 /km | 8 km5 mi |
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Intervals: 5 × 800 m2 km easy, then 5 × 800 m in 3:12 each (4:00 /km) with 2 min easy jogging between, 1.5 km easy | 8.8 km5.5 mi |
| Wed | Easy 6 km4:59 to 5:59 /km | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Thu | Threshold: 4 × 1 km2 km easy, then 4 × 1 km in 4:20 each (4:20 /km) with 1 min easy jogging between, 1.5 km easy | 8 km5 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Easy 6 km4:59 to 5:59 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 6 km3.7 mi |
| Sun | Long run 10 kmEasy, 4:59 to 5:59 /km | 10 km6.2 mi |
Easy means conversational. If a session feels far too hard, use the paces for your current fitness from the VO2 max calculator and move up as you improve.
The full 8-week plan, with km and miles editions, a calendar file and a pace band, is on its way.
Race times that match this goal
The same VDOT gives these times at other distances. If you have run close to them recently, the goal is within reach on equal training.
| Race | Equivalent time | Pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41:28 | 4:09 |
| Half marathon | 1:31:50 | 4:21 |
| Marathon | 3:11:17 | 4:32 |
Questions
What pace is a sub-20 5K?
4:00 per kilometer or 6:26 per mile. Holding exactly 4:00 per km gets you to the finish in 20:00, and 6:26 per mile gets you there in 19:59.
What is the halfway split for a sub-20 5K?
10:00 at even pace. With a 2% negative split, go through halfway in 10:06 and run the second half in 9:54.
What treadmill speed is sub-20 5K pace?
15.0 km/h or 9.3 mph. Many runners add a 1% incline, which roughly makes up for the lack of air resistance on a treadmill.
What 10K time do I need for a sub-20 5K?
About 41:28 on equal fitness, using Daniels’ VDOT tables.
How do I train for a sub-20 5K?
Build most of your week from easy running at 4:54 to 5:53 per km, with one threshold session near 4:16 per km and one interval session near 3:56 per km. Run the goal pace itself in shorter sections so it feels familiar on race day.
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Sources
- Daniels J. Daniels’ Running Formula. 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2022. VDOT tables and training intensities.
- Daniels J, Gilbert J. Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners. 1979.
- Jones AM, Doust JH. A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Sciences. 1996;14(4):321-327.
- Bosquet L, Montpetit J, Arvisais D, Mujika I. Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(8):1358-1365. Basis for the two-week taper.