Jog-walk · 3.3 mph
18:00 minutes per mile
Photo by Isaac Wendland on Unsplash
18:00 per mile equals 3.3 mph or 5.4 km/h on a treadmill, and 11:11 per kilometre. Held for a full 5K it gives 55:55. A 30-minute run at this pace covers 1.67 miles (2.68 km) — you would need about 26 more minutes to reach 5K.
18:00 and 18:30 per mile, converted
| Measure | 18:00 / mile | 18:30 / mile |
|---|---|---|
| Pace per kilometre | 11:11 | 11:30 |
| Treadmill speed | 3.3 mph | 3.2 mph |
| Treadmill speed (metric) | 5.4 km/h | 5.2 km/h |
| 5K (3.107 miles) | 55:55 | 57:29 |
| 10K | 1:51:51 | 1:54:57 |
| Distance in 20 minutes | 1.11 mi · 1.79 km | 1.08 mi · 1.74 km |
| Distance in 25 minutes | 1.39 mi · 2.24 km | 1.35 mi · 2.17 km |
| Distance in 28 minutes | 1.56 mi · 2.50 km | 1.51 mi · 2.44 km |
| Distance in 30 minutes | 1.67 mi · 2.68 km | 1.62 mi · 2.61 km |
| Minutes of running to reach 5K | 55:55 | 57:29 |
speed = 60 ÷ pace · distance = time ÷ pace · 1 mile = 1.609344 km
Distance covered in 30 minutes, by pace (mi)
Is 18:00 per mile too slow?
At 18:00 per mile you are moving at a pace this site also uses as its brisk walk reference, so the line between jogging and walking is thin. That is fine on a beginner plan. A 5K at 18:00 takes 55:55, and 30 minutes covers 1.67 miles, or 2.68 km. Each workout in the plan is set in minutes, so you can follow every week at this pace. What changes as you progress is how long you keep going, not how fast.
On a treadmill
Set 3.3 mph, or 5.4 km/h. One step up, 3.4 mph, gives a 17:30 mile and a 5K of 54:22. One step down, 3.2 mph, gives an 18:30 mile and a 5K of 57:29. Each step is worth about a minute and a half. At 3.3 mph a brisk walk and a slow jog cover the same ground, so choose the one the workout asks for.
Where this pace meets a brisk walk
| Movement | Pace | mph | Distance in 30 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jog at 18:00 | 18:00 / mile | 3.3 | 1.67 mi |
| Brisk walk, 17:00 | 17:00 / mile | 3.5 | 1.76 mi |
| Brisk walk, 18:00 (this site's walk-break reference) | 18:00 / mile | 3.3 | 1.67 mi |
| Brisk walk, 20:00 | 20:00 / mile | 3.0 | 1.50 mi |
18:00 per mile sits inside the usual range for brisk walking. It is the same speed as, or slower than, the walk this site assumes between runs, so walk breaks at this pace cost no distance at all. The plan still counts it as running: sessions are measured in minutes of jogging, not in speed.
What 18:00 looks like across the plan
| Session | Run minutes | Distance run | Whole session |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 Day 3 | 8 | 0.44 mi | 1.67 mi |
| Week 3 Day 3 | 9 | 0.50 mi | 1.56 mi |
| Week 4 Day 3 | 16 | 0.89 mi | 1.75 mi |
| Week 5 Day 3 | 20 | 1.11 mi | 1.67 mi |
| Week 6 Day 3 | 25 | 1.39 mi | 1.94 mi |
| Week 7 Day 3 | 25 | 1.39 mi | 1.94 mi |
| Week 8 Day 3 | 28 | 1.56 mi | 2.11 mi |
| Week 9 Day 3 | 30 | 1.67 mi | 2.22 mi |
Reaching 5K at 18:00 needs 25.9 minutes beyond the 30-minute run, so around 56 minutes on your feet. A good step is a mixed session: 30 minutes jogging, then brisk walking to finish 5K. Next, move that walk later each week. A small speed step to 17:00 would also cut your 5K by about three minutes, but only try it once 30 minutes feels easy.
18:30 per mile: the half-minute step
18:30 per mile is 3.2 mph (5.2 km/h), 11:30 per km and a 57:29 5K; 30 minutes covers 1.62 miles.
18:30 per mile is the slowest pace on this site's table, and it is still a pace you can finish the plan with. A 5K takes 57:29, under an hour. Thirty minutes covers 1.62 miles, or 2.61 km. That is within the walking range this site uses for reference, around 17 to 20 minutes per mile, so jogging at 18:30 is very gentle. That gentleness is useful: all 27 workouts, from week 1 to week 9, are possible at this speed.
Use 3.2 mph, or 5.2 km/h. Raising the belt to 3.3 mph gives an 18:00 mile and a 5K of 55:55, about a minute and a half faster. Since this is the slowest row in the table, there is no slower neighbour to compare; at 3.2 mph you are already at the gentle end. If jogging feels clumsy this slow, try 3.3 to 3.4 mph for run segments.
Frequently asked questions
Is an 18 minute mile walking or running?
Either. This site uses 18:00 per mile as its brisk walk reference, so a fast walker can hold it. A slow jog at the same speed is also running. For the plan, follow the workout: if it says run, jog lightly at 18:00 and count it. A 5K at this pace takes 55:55.
Can I finish a 5K in under an hour at an 18 minute mile?
Yes. At 18:00 per mile the 5K takes 55:55, which leaves just over four minutes to spare before the hour. Even at 18:30 per mile, the slowest row on this site's table, the 5K takes 57:29, still under 60 minutes with room for a short walk.
Is an 18:30 mile too slow to count as running?
No. If you are jogging, it counts. At 18:30 per mile a 5K takes 57:29 and a 30-minute run covers 2.61 km. The plan's goal is minutes of running, and the speed you run them at is up to you. This is the gentlest row on the site's table, and it still finishes a 5K in under an hour.
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