The pace you need
A 20-minute 5K is 6:26 per mile or 4:00 per kilometer, and sub-20 means beating that by a second or more. There is little room to recover from a fast start: going through the first kilometer in 3:50 feels easy on fresh legs and can cost more in the third kilometer than it saved.
| Measure | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| Pace to hold | 6:26 | 4:00 |
| Finish at that pace | 20:00 | 20:00 |
| Exact pace | 6:26.2 | 4:00.0 |
| Speed | 9.3 mph | 15.0 km/h |
| Halfway at even pace | 10:00 | |
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 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 20-minute 5K
- Run the first kilometer between 3:58 and 4:02. If it feels easy, that is the point.
- The third kilometer is the one to guard in sub-20 attempts. Pick a runner just ahead and hold their pace.
- Save the kick for the last 400 meters. A sprint that starts a kilometer out is hard to hold.
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 20-minute 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 mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|
| EasyMost of your weekly running, including long runs | 7:54 to 9:28 | 4:54 to 5:53 |
| MarathonSteady segments of long runs | 7:18 | 4:32 |
| ThresholdTempo runs of about 20 minutes, or cruise intervals | 6:52 | 4:16 |
| IntervalRepeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recovery | 6:19 | 3:56 |
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 two VDOT points below the goal and move up to goal pace over three phases, with a 5K time trial in week 4 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 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 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 at 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.
Full plan
All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41:28 | 6:40 | 4:08 |
| Half marathon | 1:31:50 | 7:00 | 4:21 |
| Marathon | 3:11:17 | 7:17 | 4:32 |
Questions
What pace is a 20-minute 5K?
6:26 per mile or 4:00 per kilometer. Holding exactly 6:26 per mile gets you to the finish in 20:00, and 4:00 per km gets you there in 20:00.
What is the halfway split for a 20-minute 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 20-minute 5K pace?
15.0 km/h or 9.3 mph. A 1% incline makes up for the lack of air resistance on a treadmill at this speed (Jones and Doust, 1996).
What 10K time do I need for a 20-minute 5K?
About 41:28 on equal fitness, from the Daniels and Gilbert formula behind Daniels’ VDOT tables.
How do I train for a 20-minute 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.
Is a 20-minute 5K the same as sub-20?
Not quite. A 20-minute 5K is 20:00 on the clock, and sub-20 means 19:59 or faster. Road race results are rounded up to the next whole second. 6:26 per mile covers the distance in 19:59.2, which is recorded as 20:00, so sub-20 needs 6:25 per mile (19:57). 4:00 per km finishes in 20:00, so sub-20 needs 3:59 per km (19:55).
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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.