Running is more than times & distances. Running is release. But, let’s be honest, sometimes it’s all about the PB - if you have an upcoming 5k and a time in mind, this article is for you.

Use the table below to find the average pace required for popular 5K goal times, in both minutes per kilometre and minutes per mile. Alongside the pace chart, you’ll also find a suggested race strategy informed by research and advice on how successful runners distribute their effort.

Want to look at other distances?

• 10k Race Pace Planner

5K Race Pace Planner

The Strategy: SETTLE → HOLD → PUSH

A 5K is short enough to race aggressively, but pacing still matters. Analysis of men’s world record performances found broadly even pacing overall, with the opening and closing kilometres typically faster than the middle of the race.

Obviously very few of us are elite athletes, but broadly speaking, the take-home here is that you shouldn’t bank on making up time at the end over such a short distance, but you shouldn’t blow the race in the opening km either - it’s a delicate balance.

For recreational runners chasing a target time, experienced coaches generally recommend getting onto goal pace early without going all-out. The aim to run the opening section controlled and close to target pace, maintain that pace as the effort increases through the middle of the race, then commit fully over the final kilometre. And obviously you need to adjust pace to hills and the course rather than blindly following the watch.

Top tip: know what race pace feels like ahead of race day. You can’t simply ‘save’ that pace for your PB - you need to have got familiar with it (and surpassed it over shorter distances) in training.

5K Pace Chart — 15 to 35 Minutes

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