What is Threshold Pace?
Threshold pace is the running speed you can sustain for approximately 60 minutes in a race effort. It is the running equivalent of FTP in cycling — the boundary between sustainable aerobic intensity and unsustainable effort where lactate accumulates faster than your body can clear it.
Threshold pace is typically determined from a recent race performance (a 10K race pace is a close approximation for many runners) or a dedicated 30-minute time trial with a small correction factor. It is usually expressed as minutes per kilometer or minutes per mile.
Running training zones are calculated as percentages of threshold pace, similar to how cycling zones are percentages of FTP. Easy runs are done well below threshold, tempo runs at or just below threshold, and interval sessions target paces above threshold to build VO2max and speed.