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Your watch shows pace, your friend talks about speed, and the race website lists finish times. They are the same thing in different clothes. Once you can switch between them, you can pick a target for any race and know if it is realistic.
Pace and speed are two views of one number
Pace tells you minutes per kilometre. Speed tells you kilometres per hour. They are reciprocals, so a faster pace means a smaller number of minutes and a bigger speed.
To convert, divide 60 by the pace in minutes. 5:30 is 5.5 minutes, 60 ÷ 5.5 = 10.9 km/h.
Finish times at common paces
| Pace | 5K | 10K | Half | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:59 |
| 5:30 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 6:00 | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:30 | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
| 7:00 | 35:00 | 1:10:00 | 2:27:41 | 4:55:22 |
The ringed cell is the 10K at 6:00 per km. Shading just shows that longer races and slower paces mean longer times.
Each 30 seconds per km adds about 21 minutes over 42.195 km. Small pace gains pay off over long distances.
Choosing a pace you can hold
- Use a recent race or hard time trial as the starting point. A recent 5K tells you more than a guess.
- Add time for longer races. Your marathon pace is slower than your 10K pace, often by 30 to 60 seconds per km, depending on your training.
- Allow for conditions. Heat, hills and wind slow everyone down. Run by effort on those days.
- Use the talk test for easy runs. If you cannot speak in sentences, you are going faster than easy pace. See heart rate zones.
Pacing a race
- First km far too quick
- Heart rate climbs early
- Last 3 km feel like a struggle
- Start slightly easy
- Hold the target pace in the middle
- Pick up in the last km if you can
A negative split means the second half is faster than the first. It is easier to achieve if you start a little slower than you feel you could.
Splitting the distance
Break the race into pieces. For a 10K at 6:00 per km, check your watch at 2.5 km (15:00), 5 km (30:00) and 7.5 km (45:00). Small checks keep you on target without constantly watching the screen.
- 2.5 km15:00Settle in. If you are ahead of this, ease back.
- 5 km30:00Halfway. Hold the same effort.
- 7.5 km45:00The hard part starts. Focus on form and breathing.
- 10 km1:00:00Finish. If you have energy, use it in the last kilometre.
Training sensibly
- Increase weekly distance gradually, not by large jumps.
- Keep most runs easy and add one harder session a week as you build up.
- Rest days are part of training. Our sleep guide helps with recovery.
- Stop and seek advice if pain is sharp, getting worse or changes the way you run.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate running pace?
Pace per km = total time ÷ distance in km. A 50-minute 10K is 50 ÷ 10 = 5:00 per km.
What is 6:00 per km in km/h?
10 km/h. Divide 60 by the pace in minutes.
What is a 5K time at 6:00 per km?
30:00. A 10K takes 1:00:00, a half marathon 2:06:35 and a marathon 4:13:10.
How long is a marathon?
42.195 km (26.2 miles). A half marathon is 21.0975 km.
What is a negative split?
Running the second half of a race faster than the first half.