What is VDOT?
VDOT is a running fitness score developed by coach Jack Daniels and physiologist Jimmy Gilbert. The name comes from “V̇O₂”, the symbol for oxygen uptake — the dot over the V means “per minute”. Your VDOT is the VO2max value implied by your race performance, assuming average running economy.
That last part matters. Two runners with the same lab-measured VO2max can race very differently because one of them runs more economically. VDOT sidesteps this by working backwards from what you have actually done on a race course, which makes it far more useful than a lab number for setting training paces.
How VDOT is calculated
The calculation combines two equations from Daniels and Gilbert’s 1979 book Oxygen Power. The first estimates the oxygen cost of running at velocity v (in metres per minute):
The second estimates the fraction of VO2max a runner can sustain for a race lasting t minutes — close to 100 % for about 10 minutes, falling to around 80 % for very long efforts:
Dividing the first by the second gives your VDOT. Running the equations in reverse gives the time you should be able to race any other distance, and the speeds that correspond to each training intensity.
The five VDOT training paces
The real power of VDOT is that it gives you five distinct training intensities, each with a specific purpose. Running every session at a “medium” pace is one of the most common training mistakes; VDOT paces make every run count.
E — Easy pace
The bulk of your running. Builds heart strength, capillaries and mitochondria and helps you recover. It should feel conversational — around 65–79 % of max heart rate.
M — Marathon pace
The pace your current fitness supports for 42.2 km. Used in marathon-specific long runs and steady runs to practise race rhythm and fuelling.
T — Threshold pace
“Comfortably hard” — roughly the pace you could race for about an hour. Tempo runs of 20 minutes or cruise intervals of 5–15 minutes with short rests.
I — Interval pace
About 3K–5K race pace. Repeats of 3–5 minutes with equal or slightly shorter recovery, to push your aerobic ceiling upward.
R — Repetition pace
Fast, short reps of 200–400 m with full recovery. Improves speed, form and running economy without much aerobic stress.
VDOT pace table
A quick reference for common VDOT values. Find your row to see your race equivalents and core training paces per kilometre.
| VDOT | 5K | 10K | Half | Marathon | Easy /km | T /km | I /km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 30:41 | 1:03:49 | 2:21:17 | 4:49:49 | 8:23–7:39 | 6:24 | 5:54 |
| 32 | 29:05 | 1:00:27 | 2:13:55 | 4:35:17 | 7:59–7:17 | 6:05 | 5:37 |
| 34 | 27:38 | 57:25 | 2:07:17 | 4:22:11 | 7:38–6:57 | 5:48 | 5:21 |
| 36 | 26:21 | 54:42 | 2:01:18 | 4:10:19 | 7:18–6:38 | 5:32 | 5:06 |
| 38 | 25:10 | 52:15 | 1:55:51 | 3:59:30 | 7:00–6:22 | 5:18 | 4:53 |
| 40 | 24:06 | 50:01 | 1:50:54 | 3:49:37 | 6:44–6:07 | 5:06 | 4:41 |
| 42 | 23:08 | 47:58 | 1:46:22 | 3:40:33 | 6:28–5:53 | 4:54 | 4:30 |
| 44 | 22:14 | 46:06 | 1:42:12 | 3:32:12 | 6:14–5:40 | 4:43 | 4:20 |
| 46 | 21:24 | 44:23 | 1:38:21 | 3:24:29 | 6:01–5:28 | 4:33 | 4:11 |
| 48 | 20:38 | 42:48 | 1:34:48 | 3:17:19 | 5:49–5:17 | 4:24 | 4:03 |
| 50 | 19:56 | 41:20 | 1:31:31 | 3:10:40 | 5:38–5:07 | 4:15 | 3:55 |
| 52 | 19:17 | 39:58 | 1:28:28 | 3:04:28 | 5:28–4:57 | 4:07 | 3:48 |
| 54 | 18:40 | 38:42 | 1:25:37 | 2:58:40 | 5:18–4:49 | 4:00 | 3:41 |
| 56 | 18:05 | 37:31 | 1:22:58 | 2:53:15 | 5:09–4:40 | 3:53 | 3:34 |
| 58 | 17:33 | 36:24 | 1:20:28 | 2:48:09 | 5:00–4:32 | 3:46 | 3:28 |
| 60 | 17:03 | 35:22 | 1:18:09 | 2:43:22 | 4:52–4:25 | 3:40 | 3:23 |
| 65 | 15:55 | 33:02 | 1:12:54 | 2:32:35 | 4:34–4:08 | 3:26 | 3:10 |
| 70 | 14:56 | 31:01 | 1:08:23 | 2:23:13 | 4:18–3:54 | 3:14 | 2:59 |
How to structure a week with VDOT paces
Daniels’ own guidelines cap the amount of faster running in a week: threshold running at around 10 % of weekly mileage, interval running at around 8 % (and no more than 10 km in one session), and repetition running at around 5 %. Everything else is easy. A typical week for a runner training five days might look like this:
| Day | Session | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Rest or cross-training | — |
| Tue | Warm-up, 4 × 1 km with 3 min jog, cool-down | I pace |
| Wed | Easy run, 40–50 min | E pace |
| Thu | Warm-up, 3 × 1.6 km with 1 min rest, cool-down | T pace |
| Fri | Rest or short easy run with 6 × 20 s strides | E / R |
| Sat | Easy run, 30–40 min | E pace |
| Sun | Long run, 25–30 % of weekly volume | E pace (M pace segments for marathoners) |
Update slowly. Increase your VDOT by no more than one point every 4–6 weeks unless a race proves a bigger jump. Training at paces your body is not ready for is the fastest route to injury and burnout.
VDOT vs lab VO2max vs watch estimates
Your VDOT will rarely match a lab-tested VO2max, and that is expected: VDOT includes your running economy, while VO2max does not. You can compare estimates from several methods with our VO2max calculator. Many GPS watches also estimate “VO2max” from heart rate and pace data. Those estimates can be useful for tracking trends but they are indirect; a real race result on a measured course remains the most reliable input for setting paces.
Limitations to keep in mind
- The marathon is special. VDOT assumes you are trained for the distance. With low mileage, your real marathon will usually be slower than the VDOT equivalent.
- Very short races. Results under about 3.5 minutes rely heavily on anaerobic capacity and give less reliable VDOTs.
- Conditions. Heat, altitude, wind and hills all lower the VDOT a race produces. Use a race in good conditions.
- Individual differences. Paces are a starting point. Adjust by feel and heart rate, especially for easy days — see the heart rate zone calculator.
Not sure what to race? Estimate a result first with the race time predictor, or explore ready-made paces for specific goals in our goal pace charts.
- Daniels, J. (2021). Daniels’ Running Formula, 4th ed. Human Kinetics.
- Daniels, J. & Gilbert, J. (1979). Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners.
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Health disclaimer