5,000 m · 3.107 mi
5K Pace Chart
Every 5K goal time from 12:00 to 45:00 with the pace it takes: 25:00 needs 8:03 per mile (5:00/km), 20:00 needs 6:26/mi, 30:00 needs 9:39/mi. Every row shows the halfway split, and the barrier-chasing 18:00–30:00 band steps in 30 seconds. Select a goal for per-mile and per-km splits, even- or negative-split options and a printable wrist pace band — or download the full chart as a PDF. Free, no signup.
- Distance
- 3.107 mi / 5 km
- Pace for 25:00
- 8:03 /mi · 5:00 /km
- Pace for 20:00
- 6:26 /mi · 4:00 /km
- Pace for 30:00
- 9:39 /mi · 6:00 /km
| Goal time | Pace /mi | Pace /km | Halfway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | 3:52 | 2:24 | 6:00 |
| 13:00 | 4:11 | 2:36 | 6:30 |
| 14:00 | 4:30 | 2:48 | 7:00 |
| 15:00 | 4:50 | 3:00 | 7:30 |
| 16:00 | 5:09 | 3:12 | 8:00 |
| 17:00 | 5:28 | 3:24 | 8:30 |
| 18:00 | 5:48 | 3:36 | 9:00 |
| 18:30 | 5:57 | 3:42 | 9:15 |
| 19:00 | 6:07 | 3:48 | 9:30 |
| 19:30 | 6:17 | 3:54 | 9:45 |
| 20:00 | 6:26 | 4:00 | 10:00 |
| 20:30 | 6:36 | 4:06 | 10:15 |
| 21:00 | 6:46 | 4:12 | 10:30 |
| 21:30 | 6:55 | 4:18 | 10:45 |
| 22:00 | 7:05 | 4:24 | 11:00 |
| 22:30 | 7:15 | 4:30 | 11:15 |
| 23:00 | 7:24 | 4:36 | 11:30 |
| 23:30 | 7:34 | 4:42 | 11:45 |
| 24:00 | 7:43 | 4:48 | 12:00 |
| 24:30 | 7:53 | 4:54 | 12:15 |
| 25:00 | 8:03 | 5:00 | 12:30 |
| 25:30 | 8:12 | 5:06 | 12:45 |
| 26:00 | 8:22 | 5:12 | 13:00 |
| 26:30 | 8:32 | 5:18 | 13:15 |
| 27:00 | 8:41 | 5:24 | 13:30 |
| 27:30 | 8:51 | 5:30 | 13:45 |
| 28:00 | 9:01 | 5:36 | 14:00 |
| 28:30 | 9:10 | 5:42 | 14:15 |
| 29:00 | 9:20 | 5:48 | 14:30 |
| 29:30 | 9:30 | 5:54 | 14:45 |
| 30:00 | 9:39 | 6:00 | 15:00 |
| 31:00 | 9:59 | 6:12 | 15:30 |
| 32:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 16:00 |
| 33:00 | 10:37 | 6:36 | 16:30 |
| 34:00 | 10:57 | 6:48 | 17:00 |
| 35:00 | 11:16 | 7:00 | 17:30 |
| 36:00 | 11:35 | 7:12 | 18:00 |
| 37:00 | 11:55 | 7:24 | 18:30 |
| 38:00 | 12:14 | 7:36 | 19:00 |
| 39:00 | 12:33 | 7:48 | 19:30 |
| 40:00 | 12:52 | 8:00 | 20:00 |
| 41:00 | 13:12 | 8:12 | 20:30 |
| 42:00 | 13:31 | 8:24 | 21:00 |
| 43:00 | 13:50 | 8:36 | 21:30 |
| 44:00 | 14:10 | 8:48 | 22:00 |
| 45:00 | 14:29 | 9:00 | 22:30 |
Tap a goal time for splits, checkpoints and a printable pace band
5K · even splits
25:00
8:03 /mi
5:00 /km
Mi 1
8:03
8:03
Mi 2
8:03
16:06
Mi 3
8:03
24:09
Mi 3.1 *
0:51
25:00
Free PDF · no email, no signup
How do you calculate 5K pace?
Goal time divided by 3.107 miles or 5 km. For the 20-minute barrier:
20 min ÷ 3.107 mi = 6.437 min per mile
0.437 min × 60 = 26.2 s → 6:26 per mile
20 min ÷ 5 km = 4.0 min per km → 4:00 per km
Sub-20 5K = 6:26/mi = 4:00/km, from the first km to the last
At 5K the margin is tiny: 10 seconds a kilometre is the difference between 20:00 and 20:50, and most of that is decided by how honestly you run the first kilometre. The split view under each goal shows the cumulative clock for every kilometre and mile, so you know at 2K — with 3K still to run — whether the day is going to plan.
How fast should the first kilometre be?
Within about five seconds of goal pace. The physiological cost of a 15-second fast first kilometre is repaid with interest over the final two; the cost of a slow one is simply time you cannot get back. The even-split column is the right default for a 5K, and the −1% option models the stronger runner’s race — slightly patient for 2K, then a build to the line.
The 5K pace band
Small race, small band: four split cells plus the finish, printed at wrist width with cut lines. It is most valuable in barrier attempts — sub-20, sub-25 — where the difference is a couple of seconds a kilometre and the first-kilometre crowd surge will distort your feel for pace. Free, no email, miles or kilometres.
Popular 5K goal times
Each goal page gives the exact required pace, the complete split band and the training paces the goal implies — including the 10K time that confirms it is realistic.
Frequently asked questions
What pace do I need for a 25 minute 5K?
8:03 per mile or exactly 5:00 per kilometre. A 25-minute 5K is the point where recreational running becomes trained running — it typically takes two or three structured months of work from a comfortable 30-minute baseline.
What pace is a 20 minute 5K?
6:26 per mile or 4:00 per kilometre. Sub-20 is the most-chased barrier in parkrun and club running; it sits roughly alongside a 41–42 minute 10K and implies tempo work around 6:40–6:50/mi.
How long is a 5K in miles?
3.107 miles — 5,000 metres, or 12.5 laps of a track. In mile terms that is three full miles plus a final 0.107-mile (172 m) sprint, which this chart splits out rather than rounding to 3.1.
Is the 5K all-out from the start?
Close to it, but not literally. The fastest 5Ks are run within a couple of seconds of even pace — the mistake is treating the first 400 m as a sprint and spending the race paying it back. Settle into goal pace inside the first 400–600 m, then hold or build.
Do I really need a pace band for a 5K?
For a barrier attempt, yes — a sub-20 or sub-25 comes down to single seconds per kilometre, and adrenaline will lie to you about how fast the first km felt. The band gives you the objective cumulative time at 1K, 2K, 3K and 4K so the race is judged by the watch, not the feeling.