Race Shape › Calculators › Running pace calculator › Sub-30 5k pace
Goal paceSub-30 5k pace
To run a sub-30 5k you need to average 6:00 per kilometre — 9:39 per mile, 10.0 km/h — and hold it from the first kilometre to the last. A sub-30 parkrun is the first real target for most new runners — usually reached by running three or four times a week, mostly easy, for a couple of months.
Even-pace splits
| Distance | Clock |
|---|---|
| 1 km | 6:00 |
| 2 km | 12:00 |
| 3 km | 17:59 |
| 4 km | 23:59 |
| 5 km | 29:59 |
The fitness behind a sub-30 5k
A sub-30 5k is a VDOT of about 30.8. The same fitness, trained for each distance, runs:
| 10 km | 1:02:23 (6:14/km) |
|---|---|
| Half marathon | 2:18:09 (6:33/km) |
| Marathon | 4:43:39 (6:43/km) |
So a 10 km in about 1:02:23 is the clearest sign you are ready. If your recent 10 km is well slower than that, the goal is still on — it needs a block, not a hopeful race day.
Training paces for it
| Easy | 7:30–8:32/km at the coast · 8:07/km or slower in Johannesburg |
|---|---|
| Threshold | 6:23/km · 6:55/km in Johannesburg |
| Intervals | 5:47/km · 6:16/km in Johannesburg |
At altitude
The same fitness is slower high up. Raced at about 1 680 m, a sub-30 5k effort comes out near 32:22; to break 30:00 up there you need fitness worth about 27:49 at the coast. Gauteng runners chasing this time are best off choosing a coastal race.
The sub-30 5k training plan lays out the weeks; a plan built from your own recent time says plainly whether the goal is on.
Build my sub-30 5k plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What pace is a sub-30 5k?
6:00 per kilometre, or 9:39 per mile.
What 10 km time shows I can run a sub-30 5k?
About 1:02:23 — the same fitness, trained for that distance.
How fast should easy runs be when training for a sub-30 5k?
No faster than 7:30/km at sea level, or 8:07/km in Johannesburg. Slower is fine.
Can I run a sub-30 5k in Johannesburg?
It is harder: at around 1 680 m the same effort is about 8% slower, so you need fitness worth about 27:49 at the coast.
How long does it take to train for a sub-30 5k?
It depends on the gap. Improving about 0.4% a week is a reasonable rate for a trained runner, so a 5% gap is roughly 12–13 weeks. The plan page works it out.