Race Shape › Running › Johannesburg
Running · GautengRunning training plans in Johannesburg
Johannesburg sits 1 753 m above sea level. At that altitude a plan should not ask you for sea-level numbers: for a runner with a 25-minute 5 km, Race Shape sets the easy ceiling about 32 seconds per kilometre slower than the same effort at the coast. Chasing coastal numbers at altitude is the commonest way runners in Gauteng train too hard every day.
Build my Johannesburg running plan — freeTell it where you train and it corrects for the altitude automatically.
| Altitude | 1 753 m |
|---|---|
| Province | Gauteng |
| Pace correction the plan applies | 8.4% slower than sea level |
What altitude does to the paces
At 1 753 m the plan slows every pace band by about 8.4%. Easy ceiling and threshold pace per kilometre:
| Current fitness | Easy — sea level | Easy — here | Threshold — sea level | Threshold — here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km in 30:00 | 7:30 | 8:07 | 6:23 | 6:55 |
| 5 km in 25:00 | 6:19 | 6:51 | 5:22 | 5:49 |
| 5 km in 20:00 | 5:08 | 5:34 | 4:21 | 4:43 |
Paces from Jack Daniels' VDOT model; altitude correction of roughly 2% per 300 m above 500 m. A planning estimate — individuals vary.
Training through the year in Johannesburg
Summer rain falls mostly as late-afternoon thunderstorms from roughly October to March, so early mornings are the reliable training window and lightning, not rain, is the reason to cut a session short. Winters are dry and clear, with cold mornings that can sit close to freezing at dawn in June and July.
Dry winter is the easiest season for long, steady aerobic work. Summer rewards getting out early, before the heat and the storms build.
Racing at the coast
Training at 1 753 m and racing near sea level works in your favour: the same effort produces a quicker pace. The plan corrects only for the difference between where you train and where you race, never twice. For somebody who runs 5 km in 25:00 at sea-level fitness, that looks like this:
| Threshold pace, training here | 5:49/km |
|---|---|
| Threshold pace at Comrades (100 m) | 5:22/km |
| Threshold pace at Two Oceans 56 km (30 m) | 5:22/km |
| Threshold pace at Two Oceans 21 km (30 m) | 5:22/km |
| Threshold pace at Cape Town Marathon (20 m) | 5:22/km |
Common questions
Do I need to adjust my training for altitude in Johannesburg?
Yes. The plan slows prescribed paces by roughly 2% for every 300 m above 500 m, which at 1 753 m is about 8.4%. It is a planning estimate — acclimatised athletes and individuals vary — but training to sea-level numbers here reliably means training too hard.
When is the best time of year to train in Johannesburg?
Dry winter is the easiest season for long, steady aerobic work. Summer rewards getting out early, before the heat and the storms build.
Which races near Johannesburg can I build a plan for?
Soweto Marathon, Om Die Dam Ultra Marathon, Loskop Ultra Marathon — each is built in, with the date, distance and altitude already filled in.
Where do my paces come from?
From a recent race or time trial, run where you train. The plan works out VDOT from it and sets every pace band.
Races within reach of Johannesburg
Running plans elsewhere in South Africa
- Pretoria — 1 339 m
- Cape Town — 25 m
- Durban — 8 m
- Gqeberha — 60 m
- Bloemfontein — 1 395 m
- Nelspruit — 660 m
- Pietermaritzburg — 596 m
- Polokwane — 1 310 m
- Potchefstroom — 1 350 m
- Kimberley — 1 197 m
- George — 200 m