ARENACALC PERFORMANCE & PROBABILITY DESK ACSM, ISSN, IPF DOTS & Fair-Odds Calibrated Formulas
ArenaCalc / Race Pace Splits / 5k-in-21-minutes-pace
Advanced Club Runner • Verified Endurance Pacing Table

5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi) in 21 Minutes: Exact Pace per Km, Mile & Split Table

Interactive pacing model for running a 21-minute 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi). Adjust target minutes below to recalculate real-time kilometer, mile, and 400m track splits.

Required Pace (Per Km & Per Mile)
4:12 /km • 6:46 /mi
Treadmill Speed & 400m Lap
14.29 km/h (8.88 mph) • 101s / 400m
1st Half vs 2nd Half Pace
4:15 → 4:09 /km
Need custom distances? Open the master Running Pace Calculator →

Official Checkpoint Split Table — 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi) in 21 Minutes

Checkpoint DistanceCumulative Elapsed TimePace per KilometerPace per Mile
1 km 4:12 4:12 /km 6:46 /mi
2 km 8:24 4:12 /km 6:46 /mi
3 km 12:36 4:12 /km 6:46 /mi
4 km 16:48 4:12 /km 6:46 /mi
5 km 21:00 4:12 /km 6:46 /mi

Frequently Asked Questions — 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi) in 21 Min

What pace per km and per mile is needed for a 21-minute 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi)?
To finish a 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi) in 21 minutes, you must maintain an average pace of 4:12 per kilometer (6:46 per mile), which equals an average running speed of 14.29 km/h (8.88 mph) and 101 seconds per 400m track lap.
Should I run an even split or a negative split for a 21-minute 5K (5.0 km / 3.11 mi)?
Exercise physiology studies show a 1% to 2% negative split (running the first half ~2–3 seconds per km slower than 4:12/km and accelerating in the final third) minimizes early lactate accumulation and glycogen depletion.