VDOT / Training Pace Calculator
Enter a recent race result to get your Daniels & Gilbert VDOT and suggested training paces for each intensity zone.
Only 1 mile to marathon is listed: VDOT-based estimates aren't reliable below 1 mile or above marathon distance.
VDOT
Suggested training paces
| Easy | 5:08 /km |
| Marathon | 4:26 /km |
| Threshold | 4:16 /km |
| Interval | 3:55 /km |
| Repetition | 3:42 /km |
This estimate uses a generic formula. Connect your Strava/Whoop/Garmin data for a version personalised to your actual training.
Get early accessWhat VDOT is
VDOT is a fitness score developed by exercise physiologist Jack Daniels and statistician Jimmy Gilbert. It condenses a race result into a single number representing the oxygen consumption you sustained during that effort, which makes it possible to compare fitness across different race distances and to derive training paces from a single data point.
How it is calculated
From your race distance and time, the calculator first works out your race velocity v in meters per minute, then applies the Daniels & Gilbert regression: VO2 = -4.60 + 0.182258 × v + 0.000104 × v². It then estimates the percentage of VO2 max you could sustain for a race of that duration t, in minutes: %VO2max = 0.8 + 0.1894393 × e^(-0.012778 × t) + 0.2989558 × e^(-0.1932605 × t). VDOT is VO2 divided by that percentage: VDOT = VO2 ÷ %VO2max.
From VDOT, the calculator then works out suggested paces for five training zones: Easy, Marathon, Threshold, Interval, and Repetition, each targeting a set percentage of your VDOT (roughly 70%, 84%, 88%, 98%, and 105% respectively) corresponding to the intensity of that zone.
Why runners use it
Instead of guessing training paces or using generic pace charts, VDOT ties every training pace directly to your current, demonstrated fitness. It updates automatically as your race results improve, so your Easy runs and Interval sessions stay matched to where your fitness actually is.
Sources and limitations: see our methodology.
Worked example
Take a runner who just raced a 5K in 25:00, exactly 5:00 per kilometre.
A VDOT of 38.3 puts this runner's Easy pace at 6:19 per km, noticeably slower than the 5:00/km they just raced. Easy running targets around 70% of VDOT intensity rather than race effort, so if your easy pace feels close to your race pace, you are very likely running your easy days too fast.
FAQ
What is VDOT in running?
VDOT is a fitness score developed by Jack Daniels and Jimmy Gilbert that condenses a race result into a single number representing the oxygen consumption you sustained during that effort. It lets you compare fitness across different race distances and derive training paces from one data point.
Is VDOT the same as VO2max?
No. VDOT is not the same as your actual, physiologically measured VO2max, though it is derived from it. VDOT is a 'VO2max equivalent' calculated from a race performance, which bakes in how efficiently you use oxygen at race pace (running economy), not just your raw aerobic ceiling. Two runners with the same lab-measured VO2max can have different VDOT scores if one is a more efficient runner.
Which race should I use to calculate my VDOT?
Use your most recent race where you gave a genuine hard effort, ideally somewhere between 1 mile and the marathon. Distances from 5K to the half marathon tend to give the most reliable VDOT, since very short sprints lean on anaerobic energy systems the model does not account for, and very long ultras add fueling and walking that distort the result.
What is a good VDOT score?
VDOT scores commonly range from around 30 for a recreational runner up to 85 or higher for world-class athletes. For context, a VDOT of about 50 corresponds to roughly a 19:57 5K, and competitive marathoners often sit above VDOT 60.
What training paces does VDOT give me?
From a single VDOT score, this calculator derives five training paces (Easy, Marathon, Threshold, Interval, and Repetition), each targeting a percentage of your VDOT (roughly 70%, 84%, 88%, 98%, and 105% respectively) matched to that zone's training intensity.
How often should I recalculate my VDOT?
Recalculate it after any new race or hard time trial, or every 4 to 6 weeks of consistent training if you are not racing often. VDOT reflects your current demonstrated fitness, so a score from months ago will hand you training paces that no longer match where you actually are.