18:00 5K: what it equals and how to train for it
Running a 5K in 18:00 means holding 3:36 per kilometre (5:48 per mile). Here is what that fitness is worth at other distances, and the paces to train at.
Equal race times
Predictions from an equal-effort model: the time you could run at each distance with the same fitness and the right training. Longer distances need specific endurance work.
| Distance | Time | Pace per km | Pace per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 18:00 | 3:36 | 5:48 |
| 10K | 37:20 | 3:44 | 6:00 |
| 15K | 57:21 | 3:49 | 6:09 |
| 10 miles | 1:01:49 | 3:50 | 6:11 |
| Half marathon | 1:22:33 | 3:55 | 6:18 |
| Marathon | 2:52:25 | 4:05 | 6:35 |
Training paces for this fitness
| Run | Per km | Per mile | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4:27 to 5:08 | 7:09 to 8:15 | Most of your running: conversational, builds the base. |
| Marathon | 4:05 | 6:35 | Steady, controlled race-effort running. |
| Threshold | 3:52 | 6:13 | Comfortably hard: tempo runs and cruise intervals. |
| Interval | 3:33 | 5:43 | Hard repeats of 3 to 5 minutes with jog recoveries. |
| Repetition | 3:21 | 5:23 | Short, fast repeats with full recovery, for speed and form. |
How to use these numbers
- Run most of your weekly distance at the easy pace. If you can only speak in short sentences, slow down.
- Keep threshold and interval work to a small share of the week, and add it gradually.
- Hot, hilly or windy? Judge hard sessions by effort, not pace.
- Re-check your numbers after a new race or a hard time trial: fitness changes, and so should your paces.
Turn this into a plan
Runergy Lab builds a week-by-week plan from your own race time, with these paces, the long runs and the easy weeks, and re-plans when life gets in the way. See the faster-5K plan or build your own.
Questions
Is a 18:00 5K a good time?
It depends on your age, experience and goals. A 18:00 5K is an average pace of 3:36 per kilometre (5:48 per mile), which is equal in effort to 10K in 37:20. Use it as a starting point for training, not a verdict.
What should my easy pace be if I run a 18:00 5K?
About 4:27 to 5:08 per kilometre (7:09 to 8:15 per mile). Easy runs should feel conversational; threshold work sits near 3:52 per kilometre.
Faster: 17:00 5K · Slower: 19:00 5K · All race times
These are estimates, not guarantees of a future result. Pace figures round to the second.