Free tool
Training pace calculator.
Enter a recent race. Get the paces to train at (easy, marathon, threshold, interval, and repetition) using Jack Daniels' VDOT method.
The five training paces, explained
- Easy (E)
- The bulk of your running. Conversational, aerobic base-building, run at roughly 66-74% of your VDOT. Should feel almost too slow.
- Marathon (M)
- Goal marathon effort. Steady and controlled, used for longer sustained blocks as a race approaches.
- Threshold (T)
- Comfortably hard, about one-hour race effort. Trains your body to clear lactate. Run as tempo blocks or cruise intervals.
- Interval (I)
- Near VO2 max, in reps of 3-5 minutes with recovery. Lifts your aerobic ceiling. Hard, but repeatable.
- Repetition (R)
- Fast, short reps with full recovery for speed and running economy. Trains mechanics, not aerobic stress.
Don't have a recent race? Predict one from another distance first, or work out your heart-rate zones.
Frequently asked
What is VDOT?
VDOT is a running fitness score created by exercise physiologist Jack Daniels. It estimates your effective VO2 max from a recent race result and translates it into the paces you should train at for each type of workout. Two runners with the same VDOT train at the same paces, regardless of their raw times.
Why are my easy paces so slow?
That is the point. Easy running builds your aerobic base (mitochondria, capillaries, fat metabolism) with the least injury risk. Most runners run their easy days too fast and their hard days too slow. Keeping easy runs genuinely easy is what lets your quality sessions be quality.
What is the difference between threshold and interval pace?
Threshold (tempo) pace is roughly the effort you could hold for about an hour. It trains your body to clear lactate and is run comfortably hard for sustained blocks. Interval pace is close to your VO2 max effort, run in shorter reps of 3-5 minutes with recovery, to lift your aerobic ceiling.
How often should I do each type of run?
A common structure is roughly 80% of weekly volume easy, with one to two quality sessions (threshold, interval, or repetition) and one long run. The exact mix depends on your race distance and how many days you train, and that's what a periodised plan decides for you week by week.
How accurate are these paces?
They are a well-validated starting point from a single race result. Adjust to conditions: hills, heat, altitude, and fatigue all shift real-world pace. Re-test with a new race or time trial every few weeks and your paces will track your fitness.
From paces to a plan
Knowing your paces is step one.
Gritup builds the workouts around them: the right amount of easy, threshold, and interval work, week by week, adapting as your fitness moves.