What is VDOT in running?
VDOT is a running fitness score developed by coach Jack Daniels, roughly equivalent to your VO2max adjusted for running economy. Your VDOT is calculated from a recent race time and tells you the training paces (easy, tempo, threshold, interval) you should use to train effectively.
VDOT is shorthand for 'V-dot-O2 max' — a single number that represents your running-specific fitness, developed by legendary coach Jack Daniels in his book 'Daniels' Running Formula.' It's similar to VO2max but adjusted for running economy, which is why it's more useful for setting training paces than raw lab VO2max. To calculate VDOT, you enter a recent race time (ideally 5K, 10K, or half marathon) into a VDOT calculator, and it returns your score (typically 30-80) along with the exact training paces you should run: easy pace, marathon pace, threshold pace, interval pace, and repetition pace. A VDOT of 40 means you're capable of roughly a 23-minute 5K or a 3:55 marathon. VDOT 50 is around 19:57 for 5K and 3:10 marathon. Each VDOT point roughly equals 20-25 seconds in 5K time. The power of VDOT is that once you have your number, you know exactly how fast to run every type of session — no more guessing at what 'tempo pace' means. Recalculate it every 2-3 months based on your latest race or time trial. Many plans (including STRIDD methodologies) use VDOT as the pace-setting foundation.