VMA, first and second thresholds, easy running: training zones explained simply, with the pace chart for your VMA, from easy runs to 10K.
VMA, the starting point for every pace
VMA (maximal aerobic speed, close to the vVO2max used in English-speaking countries) is the speed at which your oxygen uptake reaches its ceiling. You can only hold it for 4 to 7 minutes, but it is the reference for every other pace, expressed as a percentage of VMA.
A simple way to estimate it: the half-Cooper test. After a good warm-up, run as far as you can in 6 minutes on a track or a measured flat course. The distance in metres divided by 100 gives your VMA in km/h (1,500 m in 6 minutes = 15 km/h).
Training zones: easy, first threshold, second threshold, VMA
- Easy running (60 to 70% of VMA): the pace at which you can hold a conversation. It makes up 70 to 80% of your training volume.
- First threshold, VT1 (around 70 to 75% of VMA): your breathing starts to pick up. Below it, you can keep going for hours.
- Marathon pace (75 to 85% of VMA): between the two thresholds, depending on your level and endurance.
- Second threshold, VT2 (around 85 to 90% of VMA): beyond it, lactate builds up quickly. Half marathon and 10K paces sit on either side of this threshold.
- VMA (95 to 100%): short interval sessions (30/30, 200 m, 400 m).
Exact thresholds are measured in a lab (exercise test with gas analysis); the percentages above are average guidelines.
Pace chart for your VMA
Paces in minutes per kilometre:
| VMA | Easy (65%) | Marathon (80%) | Half (85%) | 10K (90%) | VMA (100%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 km/h | 7:42 | 6:15 | 5:53 | 5:33 | 5:00 |
| 13 km/h | 7:06 | 5:46 | 5:26 | 5:08 | 4:37 |
| 14 km/h | 6:36 | 5:21 | 5:03 | 4:46 | 4:17 |
| 15 km/h | 6:09 | 5:00 | 4:42 | 4:27 | 4:00 |
| 16 km/h | 5:46 | 4:41 | 4:25 | 4:10 | 3:45 |
| 17 km/h | 5:26 | 4:25 | 4:09 | 3:55 | 3:32 |
| 18 km/h | 5:08 | 4:10 | 3:55 | 3:42 | 3:20 |
| 19 km/h | 4:51 | 3:57 | 3:43 | 3:31 | 3:09 |
| 20 km/h | 4:37 | 3:45 | 3:32 | 3:20 | 3:00 |
Which goal for which VMA?
Applying these percentages gives the following theoretical times:
| VMA | 10K | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 km/h | 55:33 | 2:04:06 | 4:23:43 |
| 14 km/h | 47:37 | 1:46:22 | 3:46:03 |
| 16 km/h | 41:40 | 1:33:05 | 3:17:47 |
| 18 km/h | 37:02 | 1:22:44 | 2:55:49 |
| 20 km/h | 33:20 | 1:14:28 | 2:38:14 |
These times assume training suited to the distance. A runner with less endurance will hold a lower percentage over the half and full marathon; a well-trained runner, a higher one. To turn any pace into split times, Runometry's running pace chart calculates everything to the second.
Using these paces well
- Retest your VMA every 2 to 3 months: it improves quickly when you start running.
- Don't run your easy runs too fast: it is the most common mistake, and it keeps you from recovering for your sessions.
- On a trail, think in effort and heart rate rather than pace: elevation changes everything.
Choose your goal
Once you know your VMA, pick a race 8 to 12 weeks away: upcoming 10K races, half marathons or marathons.