This form tells you what running times you should expect on different distances if you were to train specifically for those distances. The assumption is that your speed as a fraction of the world record is a constant that is the same for every distance.
The distances available are those with world records ratified by World Athletics, plus 1600 m and 3200 m which are used in high school track and field. These two distances don't have world records, so the calculator uses interpolation from neighboring distances.
Distance you ran:
Time you took: h m s
Gender:
Units:
Your speed as a fraction of the world record:
Equivalent performances:
| Distance | Time | Pace | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
A simple formula to predict performance is t2 = t1 × (d2 / d1)b where b can depend on the distance or other factors. Peter Riegel proposed using the constant b=1.06. The graph below derives b experimentally using world records, excluding 5 km (road) and 10 km (road). It's not clear if the curve obtained from world records applies to amateurs without any change. Nevertheless, the world records method is reasonable and easy to understand. I annotated some of the features of the graph in red. It's probably possible to build a better model by compensating for the lack of professional interest in some distances, and by smoothing small features in the graph.
Comparing multiple formulas:
Using the VO2 max formula:
Using Riegel's formula t2 = t1 × (d2 / d1)1.06:
Others:
Page created: June 11, 2016
Page last updated: April 22, 2023