6 pace zones based on your threshold pace
Based on threshold pace of 5:00/km
| Zone | Pace Range | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Z1 Easy / Recovery | 6:27 – 7:03/km | Conversational jog — active recovery |
| Z2 Aerobic | 5:42 – 6:24/km | Comfortable pace — builds endurance base |
| Z3 Tempo | 5:18 – 5:39/km | Comfortably hard — lactate clearance |
| Z4 Threshold | 4:57 – 5:15/km | ~1 hour race pace — key training zone |
| Z5a VO2max | 4:39 – 4:54/km | 3-5 min intervals — maximum oxygen uptake |
| Z5b Anaerobic | 4:00 – 4:36/km | 1-2 min repeats — high-end speed |
Threshold
5:00/km
Est. 5K
24 min
Est. 10K
49 min
Est. Half Marathon
109 min
Solid running fitness. Build weekly volume with 80% easy running, add one tempo and one interval session per week. Consistency is key.
Your easy run pace should be 6:30/km or slower. Most runners go too fast on easy days — this kills recovery and limits adaptation. If you can't hold a conversation, slow down.
For tempo runs, target 5:18–5:39/km (Zone 3). Start with 15-minute tempo blocks and build to 30-40 minutes as fitness improves.