20 paces · 9:00 to 18:30 per mile
Running pace chart for beginners
Photo by Isaac Wendland on Unsplash
A pace is just minutes per mile. Divide 60 by it to get treadmill mph; multiply it by 3.107 to get a 5K time. The table covers every half-minute step from 9:00 to 18:30 per mile — the range where nearly all run/walk plan sessions happen.
Pace chart, 9:00–18:30 per mile
| Pace per mile | Pace per km | mph | km/h | 5K time | Miles in 30 min | km in 30 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | 5:36 | 6.7 | 10.7 | 27:58 | 3.3 | 5.4 |
| 9:30 | 5:54 | 6.3 | 10.2 | 29:31 | 3.2 | 5.1 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 6 | 9.7 | 31:04 | 3 | 4.8 |
| 10:30 | 6:31 | 5.7 | 9.2 | 32:37 | 2.9 | 4.6 |
| 11:00 | 6:50 | 5.5 | 8.8 | 34:11 | 2.7 | 4.4 |
| 11:30 | 7:09 | 5.2 | 8.4 | 35:44 | 2.6 | 4.2 |
| 12:00 | 7:27 | 5 | 8 | 37:17 | 2.5 | 4 |
| 12:30 | 7:46 | 4.8 | 7.7 | 38:50 | 2.4 | 3.9 |
| 13:00 | 8:05 | 4.6 | 7.4 | 40:23 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| 13:30 | 8:23 | 4.4 | 7.2 | 41:57 | 2.2 | 3.6 |
| 14:00 | 8:42 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 43:30 | 2.1 | 3.5 |
| 14:30 | 9:01 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 45:03 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| 15:00 | 9:19 | 4 | 6.4 | 46:36 | 2 | 3.2 |
| 15:30 | 9:38 | 3.9 | 6.2 | 48:09 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
| 16:00 | 9:57 | 3.8 | 6 | 49:43 | 1.9 | 3 |
| 16:30 | 10:15 | 3.6 | 5.9 | 51:16 | 1.8 | 2.9 |
| 17:00 | 10:34 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 52:49 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| 17:30 | 10:52 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 54:22 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
| 18:00 | 11:11 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 55:55 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
| 18:30 | 11:30 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 57:29 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
1 mile = 1.609344 km · 5K = 3.107 miles · calculations by FirstFiveK
How to read the chart
Find your pace in the first column. The next two columns are the same speed in the units a treadmill shows. The 5K column is how long 3.107 miles would take if you held that pace the whole way, and the last column is the distance a 30-minute run covers — the length of the final sessions of the plan.
Only two rows of the chart get to 5K inside 30 minutes: 9:00 per mile reaches 5.36 km, and 9:30 just clears it at 5.08 km. Every pace from 10:00 down finishes 30 minutes short of 5K. If that is you, nothing has gone wrong. Each pace page shows exactly how many more minutes you would need.
Which pace is "too slow"?
For the purpose of a beginner plan, none of them. The plan asks for minutes of running, and the useful test is whether you can speak in full sentences while you do it — the talk test that the CDC describes for moderate activity. A pace that passes that test and lets you finish the session is the right one for now.
Brisk walking for most adults sits around 17 to 20 minutes per mile, so the last rows of the chart overlap with a fast walk. That is fine too: a slow jog and a fast walk at the same speed are still different movements.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal pace for a beginner?
There is no single normal. The chart runs from 9:00 to 18:30 per mile because sessions on a run/walk plan happen across that whole range. The pace that lets you talk in sentences and finish the session is the one to use.
How do I find my pace without a watch?
On a treadmill, read the speed and divide 60 by it: 4.5 mph is a 13:20 mile. Outdoors, time yourself over a known distance — four laps of a standard 400 m track is close to one mile.
Data sources
Data as of October 4, 2026
- FirstFiveK calculations (distance ÷ time)Own work · 2026-10
- CDC — Measuring Physical Activity Intensity (talk test)Public domain (US federal government) · 2026-10
- HHS — Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd editionPublic domain (US federal government) · 2026-10
- How ranks and averages are calculated