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Your Magic Number
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YOUR MAGIC NUMBER

For decades runners have been asking a simple question: How fast should my training runs be? Unfortunately, there hasn't been a simple answer. Until now. Thanks to the world's best coach.

By Adam Bean

PUBLISHED 03/14/2005

What's Your VDOT?

How to Use the Table

1) Look for your most recent race time in one of the columns on the left, then move across to the middle to find your VDOT number. (If you've run more than one race distance lately and your corresponding VDOTs aren't the same, use the higher one.)

2) From your VDOT number, look across the table to find the training paces you should run for your EASY, TEMPO, and INTERVAL workouts. Easy workouts will strengthen your running muscles. Tempo workouts will boost your lactate threshold, meaning you'll be able to run faster for longer. Interval sessions will increase your VO2 max level, which will enable your body to process oxygen more efficiently. Note: Interval pace is given in per-400-meter pace below; 400 meters is roughly equivalent to a quarter-mile, or once around a standard running track.

5K
10K
Half-Marathon
Marathon
VDOT
Easy Pace (Per Mile)
Tempo Pace (PM)
Interval Pace (400 M)
30:40 63:46 2:21:04 4:49:17 30 12:40 10:18 2:22
29:05 60:26 2:13:49 4:34:58 32 12:04 9:47 2:14
27:39 57:26 2:07:16 4:22:03 34 11:32 9:20 2:08
26:22 54:44 2:01:19 4:10:19 36 11:02 8:55 2:02
25:12 52:17 1:55:55 3:59:35 38 10:35 8:33 1:56
24:08 50:03 1:50:59 3:49:45 40 10:11 8:12 1:52
23:09 48:01 1:46:27 3:40:43 42 9:48 7:52 1:48
22:15 46:09 1:42:17 3:32:23 44 9:27 7:33 1:44
21:25 44:25 1:38:27 3:24:39 46 9:07 7:17 1:40
20:39 42:50 1:34:53 3:17:29 48 8:49 7:02 1:36
19:57 41:21 1:31:35 3:10:49 50 8:32 6:51 1:33
19:17 39:59 1:28:31 3:04:36 52 8:16 6:38 1:31
18:40 38:42 1:25:40 2:58:47 54 8:01 6:26 1:28
18:05 37:31 1:23:00 2:53:20 56 7:48 6:15 1:26
17:33 36:24 1:20:30 2:48:14 58 7:34 6:04 1:23
17:03 35:22 1:18:09 2:43:25 60 7:22 5:54 1:21
16:34 34:23 1:15:57 2:38:54 62 7:11 5:45 1:19
16:07 33:28 1:13:53 2:34:38 64 7:00 5:36 1:17
15:42 32:35 1:11:56 2:30:36 66 6:49 5:28 1:15
15:18 31:46 1:10:05 2:26:47 68 6:39 5:20 1:13
14:55 31:00 1:08:21 2:23:10 70 6:30 5:13 1:11

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