3 kilometres pace calculator
Work out 3 kilometres pace from a finish time, or a finish time from a pace. The chart below covers the range most runners race in.
Enter a finish time
Result
These are estimates from population-level equations, not a measurement of you and not medical advice. Individual results vary widely. Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to how you eat or train.
The 3 kilometres
The 3,000 metres is a middle-distance track race, often used as a fitness test and as a stepping stone to the 5k.
Physiologically, the 3 kilometres is bounded by predominantly aerobic, run at or slightly above lactate threshold. It is close to the shortest distance where aerobic capacity dominates.
Even pacing, with a slight negative split if anything. Going out at 5k pace and holding it is a common error that costs more in the final kilometre than it gained in the first.
Distance: 3 km (3,000 m).
3 kilometres pace chart
Finish time, pace per mile and speed for each pace per kilometre. Everything is computed in metres and seconds and converted once, so no rounding accumulates down the table.
| Pace / km | Finish time | Pace / mile | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 9:00 | 4:50 | 20 km/h |
| 3:30 | 10:30 | 5:38 | 17.1 km/h |
| 4:00 | 12:00 | 6:26 | 15 km/h |
| 4:30 | 13:30 | 7:15 | 13.3 km/h |
| 5:00 | 15:00 | 8:03 | 12 km/h |
| 5:30 | 16:30 | 8:51 | 10.9 km/h |
| 6:00 | 18:00 | 9:39 | 10 km/h |
Split times
4:30 / km · 13:30
| Distance | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| 1 km | 4:30 |
| 2 km | 9:00 |
| 3 km | 13:30 |
Questions
- What pace do I need for a given 3 km time?
- Divide the target time by the distance in kilometres. For the 3 kilometres, 4:30 per kilometre gives 13:30. The chart below covers the range most runners race in.
- How should I pace a 3 km?
- Even pacing, with a slight negative split if anything. Going out at 5k pace and holding it is a common error that costs more in the final kilometre than it gained in the first.
- What limits performance over the 3 km?
- Predominantly aerobic, run at or slightly above lactate threshold. It is close to the shortest distance where aerobic capacity dominates.
- Are the projections to other distances reliable?
- No, and the page says so. They assume the same pace holds over a different distance, which it does not — pace falls as distance rises. Riegel's formula applies a fatigue exponent and is the right tool for actual prediction.
- Why does the split table have a partial final segment?
- Because 3 kilometres is 3 km, which is not a whole number of split intervals. The final partial segment is shown rather than dropped, since a table that ends before the finish line is wrong exactly where it matters.