VDOT Calculator
Enter a recent race and get your VDOT, the five Daniels training paces per mile and per kilometre, and the race times the same fitness predicts at every other distance.
VDOT
44.5
Easy pace
9:02 /mi
5:37 /km
Threshold pace
7:39 /mi
4:45 /km
Training paces
| Zone | % VDOT | Pace /mi | Pace /km | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E · Easy | 59–74% | 10:21–8:38 | 6:26–5:22 | Aerobic base, recovery, long runs. Most of the week. |
| M · Marathon | 75–84% | 8:33–7:48 | 5:19–4:51 | Goal marathon pace; steady long-run segments. |
| T · Threshold | 83–88% | 7:53–7:31 | 4:54–4:40 | Comfortably hard: tempo runs of 20-40 min, cruise intervals. |
| I · Interval | 95–100% | 7:04–6:47 | 4:23–4:13 | VO2max work: 3-5 min reps with equal jog recovery. |
| R · Repetition | 105–120% | 6:31–5:51 | 4:03–3:38 | Speed and economy: 200-600 m reps, full recovery. |
Equivalent race times at VDOT 44.5
| Distance | Time | Pace /mi |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 6:28 | 6:28 |
| 5K | 22:00 | 7:05 |
| 10K | 45:37 | 7:21 |
| 15K | 1:10:14 | 7:32 |
| 10 miles | 1:15:43 | 7:34 |
| Half marathon | 1:41:07 | 7:43 |
| Marathon | 3:30:03 | 8:01 |
| 50K | 4:10:11 | 8:03 |
Training paces by VDOT (per mile)
Computed from the Daniels-Gilbert equations, not copied from a table. E is shown at the fast end of its range (74%); M at 80%, T at 86%, I at 98%, R at 108%.
| VDOT | 5K | Easy | Marathon | Threshold | Interval | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 30:41 | 11:48 | 11:06 | 10:30 | 9:28 | 8:46 |
| 35 | 26:59 | 10:28 | 9:50 | 9:17 | 8:22 | 7:44 |
| 40 | 24:06 | 9:25 | 8:51 | 8:21 | 7:31 | 6:57 |
| 45 | 21:49 | 8:34 | 8:03 | 7:36 | 6:50 | 6:19 |
| 50 | 19:56 | 7:52 | 7:24 | 6:58 | 6:16 | 5:48 |
| 55 | 18:22 | 7:17 | 6:51 | 6:27 | 5:48 | 5:22 |
| 60 | 17:03 | 6:48 | 6:23 | 6:01 | 5:25 | 5:00 |
| 65 | 15:55 | 6:22 | 5:59 | 5:38 | 5:04 | 4:41 |
| 70 | 14:56 | 6:00 | 5:38 | 5:19 | 4:47 | 4:25 |
Equivalent race times by VDOT
| VDOT | Mile | 5K | 10K | Half | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 9:10 | 30:41 | 1:03:49 | 2:21:17 | 4:49:49 |
| 35 | 8:01 | 26:59 | 56:02 | 2:04:13 | 4:16:06 |
| 40 | 7:07 | 24:06 | 50:01 | 1:50:54 | 3:49:37 |
| 45 | 6:24 | 21:49 | 45:13 | 1:40:14 | 3:28:16 |
| 50 | 5:50 | 19:56 | 41:20 | 1:31:31 | 3:10:40 |
| 55 | 5:21 | 18:22 | 38:06 | 1:24:16 | 2:55:55 |
| 60 | 4:57 | 17:03 | 35:22 | 1:18:09 | 2:43:22 |
| 65 | 4:37 | 15:55 | 33:02 | 1:12:54 | 2:32:35 |
| 70 | 4:19 | 14:56 | 31:01 | 1:08:23 | 2:23:13 |
The five zones and what they are for
| Zone | % VDOT | Purpose | Typical session |
|---|---|---|---|
| E · Easy | 59–74% | Aerobic base, recovery, long runs. Most of the week. | 30-90 min continuous; 2-3 h long run |
| M · Marathon | 75–84% | Goal marathon pace; steady long-run segments. | 8-15 mi at M pace inside a long run |
| T · Threshold | 83–88% | Comfortably hard: tempo runs of 20-40 min, cruise intervals. | 20 min tempo, or 5 × 1 mi with 1 min rest |
| I · Interval | 95–100% | VO2max work: 3-5 min reps with equal jog recovery. | 5 × 1000 m with 3 min jog |
| R · Repetition | 105–120% | Speed and economy: 200-600 m reps, full recovery. | 8 × 200 m with full recovery |
Daniels caps quality work: no more than 10% of weekly mileage at T, 8% at I, 5% at R. The rest is E, which is most of the week for everyone from beginners to Olympians.
The equations
- Oxygen cost of running at v metres per minute: VO₂ = −4.60 + 0.182258 v + 0.000104 v².
- Fraction of VO₂max sustainable for t minutes: 0.8 + 0.1894393 e^(−0.012778 t) + 0.2989558 e^(−0.1932605 t). At 12 minutes that is about 100%; at 45 minutes 91%; at 3 hours 82%.
- VDOT = VO₂ at race speed ÷ fraction sustainable for race duration.
- Training pace at p% of VDOT: solve the first equation for v with VO₂ = p × VDOT.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VDOT?
A fitness score from Jack Daniels' Running Formula: the VO2max a runner would need, given typical running economy, to produce a race result. It is written V-dot-O2 in the physiology and shortened to VDOT. Two runners with the same VDOT are predicted to race equally, whatever their lab-measured VO2max, which is why it is more useful than VO2max itself.
What is a good VDOT?
A 30:00 5K is about VDOT 30; 25:00 is 38; 20:00 is 50; 17:00 is 60; 15:00 is 70. Elite men are around 80-85, elite women 70-75. Daniels' tables run from 30 to 85.
Which race should I use?
A recent all-out race between 5K and half marathon, on a fair course. A mile gives a high VDOT for fast-twitch runners and a marathon a low one for anyone under-trained for it; the 5K-to-half range is the most honest. Never use a training run.
How often should I recalculate?
After each race, or every 4-6 weeks of consistent training. Daniels' guidance is to move up one VDOT point at a time, not jump to a number a single great day produced.
Why are the easy paces a range?
Easy running is 59-74% of VDOT and that whole band does the job: aerobic development, recovery, mileage. Run the slow end on tired days and the fast end when fresh. The mistake is running above the range, which turns easy days into moderate ones and steals from the quality sessions.
These calculators use published exercise-science formulas and are for training guidance. They are estimates, not medical advice: if you have a heart condition or are starting exercise after a long break, talk to a doctor before training by heart rate or pace targets.