The pace you need
Breaking an hour in the 10K takes 9:39 per mile or 6:00 per kilometer: steady running where you can still speak in short phrases for most of the race.
| Measure | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| Pace to hold | 9:39 | 6:00 |
| Finish at that pace | 59:58 | 1:00:00 |
| Exact pace | 9:39.4 | 6:00.0 |
| Speed | 6.2 mph | 10.0 km/h |
| Halfway at even pace | 30:00 | |
The paces to hold are rounded down to the second, so holding them gets you home on the goal or just inside it. Finish times are rounded up to the next whole second, as road race results are.
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 30:18 and running the second half in 29:42.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | 2% negative split |
|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 6:00 | 6:07 |
| 1 mile | 9:39 | 9:49 |
| 2 km | 12:00 | 12:12 |
| 3 km | 18:00 | 18:15 |
| 2 miles | 19:19 | 19:35 |
| 4 km | 24:00 | 24:17 |
| 5 km, halfway | 30:00 | 30:18 |
| 6 km | 36:00 | 36:17 |
| 4 miles | 38:37 | 38:54 |
| 7 km | 42:00 | 42:15 |
| 8 km | 48:00 | 48:12 |
| 5 miles | 48:17 | 48:28 |
| 9 km | 54:00 | 54:07 |
| 6 miles | 57:56 | 57:59 |
| Finish | 1:00:00 | 1:00:00 |
How to pace a 1-hour 10K
- Start at 6:00 per kilometer or a few seconds slower. The first two kilometers set the tone.
- Take water on the move if there is a station, without stopping for long.
- If you are on pace at 8 km, it is safe to push from there.
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 1-hour 10K scores a VDOT of about 32.3 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 mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| EasyMost of your weekly running, including long runs | 11:09 to 13:16 | 6:56 to 8:14 |
| MarathonSteady segments of long runs | 10:26 | 6:29 |
| ThresholdTempo runs of about 20 minutes, or cruise intervals | 9:44 | 6:03 |
| IntervalRepeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recovery | 8:58 | 5:34 |
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.
10-week 1-hour 10K training plan
Built on the training paces above: 3 runs a week, a peak week of 23.7 km and a longest run of 12 km. Paces start two VDOT points below the goal and move up to goal pace over three phases, with a 5K tune-up in week 7 and a two-week taper before race day.
It suits you if
- You run about 3 times a week, around 15 km in total.
- Your longest run in the last month is at least 5 km.
- A recent race of about 30:27 for the 5K or 1:03:19 for the 10K. The paces start there and move up to the goal pace.
Week 1 and a week from the build phase, free
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Easy 4 km7:17 to 8:39 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 4 km2.5 mi |
| Wed | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Thu | Easy 4 km7:17 to 8:39 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 4 km2.5 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Sun | Long run 7 kmEasy, 7:17 to 8:39 /km | 7 km4.3 mi |
| Day | Session | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest | |
| Tue | Intervals: 5 × 800 m1.5 km easy, then 5 × 800 m in 4:34 each (5:43 /km) with 2 min easy jogging between, 1 km easy | 7.4 km4.6 mi |
| Wed | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Thu | Easy 4 km7:06 to 8:26 /km, then 6 × 20 s strides | 4 km2.5 mi |
| Fri | Rest | |
| Sat | Rest or cross-train30 to 40 minutes easy on a bike, cross-trainer or in the pool, or a full rest day. | |
| Sun | Long run 10 kmEasy, 7:06 to 8:26 /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.
Full plan
All 10 weeks, with the paces for this goal
- Every session, week by week, in km and miles (PDF)
- A calendar file set to your race date for Google, Apple or Outlook
- A printable pace band for race day
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 | Time | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 28:52 | 9:17 | 5:46 |
| Half marathon | 2:12:57 | 10:08 | 6:18 |
| Marathon | 4:33:22 | 10:25 | 6:28 |
Questions
What pace is a 1-hour 10K?
9:39 per mile or 6:00 per kilometer. Holding exactly 9:39 per mile gets you to the finish in 59:58, and 6:00 per km gets you there in 1:00:00.
What is the halfway split for a 1-hour 10K?
30:00 at even pace. With a 2% negative split, go through halfway in 30:18 and run the second half in 29:42.
What treadmill speed is 1-hour 10K pace?
10.0 km/h or 6.2 mph. The advice to add a 1% incline for the lack of air resistance comes from a study that tested speeds from 10.5 to 18 km/h (6.5 to 11.2 mph), faster than this pace (Jones and Doust, 1996). It does not cover this speed, where there is less air resistance to make up for.
What 5K time do I need for a 1-hour 10K?
About 28:52 on equal fitness, from the Daniels and Gilbert formula behind Daniels’ VDOT tables.
How do I train for a 1-hour 10K?
Build most of your week from easy running at 6:56 to 8:14 per km, with one threshold session near 6:03 per km and one interval session near 5:34 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.
- World Athletics. Competition Rules and Technical Rules (Book C, C1.1 and C2.1). Technical Rule 19, Timing and Photo Finish: times in races held outside the stadium are recorded to the next longer whole second.