5K Pace Chart: Finish Times 0:15 to 0:45
Find your 5k finish time in the left column and read the pace per mile and per kilometer you need to hold. Times with a link open a page with mile and km splits for three pacing strategies and a plan built for that goal. Every row is computed from the race distance (5 km = 3.107 mi).
| Finish | Pace / mi | Pace / km |
|---|---|---|
| 0:15 | 4:50 | 3:00 |
| 0:16 | 5:09 | 3:12 |
| 0:17 | 5:28 | 3:24 |
| 0:18 | 5:48 | 3:36 |
| 0:19 | 6:07 | 3:48 |
| 0:20 | 6:26 | 4:00 |
| 0:21 | 6:46 | 4:12 |
| 0:22 | 7:05 | 4:24 |
| 0:23 | 7:24 | 4:36 |
| 0:24 | 7:43 | 4:48 |
| 0:25 | 8:03 | 5:00 |
| 0:26 | 8:22 | 5:12 |
| 0:27 | 8:41 | 5:24 |
| 0:28 | 9:01 | 5:36 |
| 0:29 | 9:20 | 5:48 |
| 0:30 | 9:39 | 6:00 |
| 0:31 | 9:59 | 6:12 |
| 0:32 | 10:18 | 6:24 |
| 0:33 | 10:37 | 6:36 |
| 0:34 | 10:57 | 6:48 |
| 0:35 | 11:16 | 7:00 |
| 0:36 | 11:35 | 7:12 |
| 0:37 | 11:55 | 7:24 |
| 0:38 | 12:14 | 7:36 |
| 0:39 | 12:33 | 7:48 |
| 0:40 | 12:52 | 8:00 |
| 0:41 | 13:12 | 8:12 |
| 0:42 | 13:31 | 8:24 |
| 0:43 | 13:50 | 8:36 |
| 0:44 | 14:10 | 8:48 |
| 0:45 | 14:29 | 9:00 |
How to use this chart
Pace is finish time divided by distance: a 0:15 5k is 4:50 per mile. The split columns assume even pacing; for negative and positive split tables open a finish time from the list above or use the pace calculator for any time not in the chart.
If you have a goal time but no plan yet, the 5k training plans use the same numbers: enter the goal and the generator sets easy, long and tempo paces from it.
Build your free 5k plan
Same engine as every plan on this site, but with your race date, your run days and your longest recent run. Prints to PDF, exports to your calendar. No signup.
What the 5K pace chart is for
A 5K is short enough that a few seconds per mile decide the result, so the chart's job is precision: find the finish time you want and read the exact pace per mile and per kilometer it needs. Use it in training to set the pace for repeats and for the one tempo run in the intermediate plans, and on race morning to know what the first mile should read on the watch. The rows are computed from the race distance, so they are the same on every course; only the terrain and your fitness vary.
How to pace a 5K: even splits, not a sprint start
Even pacing is the default here because the race is too short to recover from a mistake. Run the first kilometer at the pace in your row, not faster, hold it through the middle, and use whatever is left in the final stretch. If you have a recent race at another distance, the pace calculator predicts your 5K time from it, and the 5K plans set training paces from the finish you choose. If you have no race at all, time a hard but steady mile and pick a row a little slower than that pace suggests.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read a 5k pace chart?
Find the finish time you want, then read the pace per mile or per kilometer in the same row. Hold that pace from the start and you cross halfway at half the goal time.
What pace do I need for a 0:30 5k?
9:39 per mile or 6:00 per kilometer.
Does the chart account for hills or weather?
No. It is pure arithmetic: time divided by distance. On a hilly course or in heat, plan a slightly slower goal or a positive split and compare with the even-split column.
What is 5K pace?
Your goal finish time divided by the race distance, in minutes per mile or per kilometer. It is the fastest pace most runners train at, and the interval session in the plans is set slightly faster than it.
How fast should I run a 5K?
At the pace of the row you can hold for the whole distance, which a recent race or a steady hard mile tells you better than any average. Pick a row, run even splits, and move up a row next time if the last kilometer felt easy.