What this result means
Laboratory VO2max needs a protocol, a mask, and a lab. Most runners have a 5K instead. Jack Daniels mapped race performances onto an index he called VDOT, which tracks with oxygen cost at race velocity. This calculator estimates VDOT from the race you enter and shows it as the headline number.
The training pace calculator uses the same VDOT to set easy and interval bands. The race equivalent calculator uses it for other distances. This page stops at the estimate so the question stays “what VO2 does this race imply?”
A 20:00 5K is roughly VDOT 50. A slower 25:00 5K yields a lower index. A 40:00 10K is not the same VDOT as a 20:00 5K; enter the race you actually ran.
A downhill or wind-aided time inflates the number. A hot, hilly race deflates it. Treat the output as an index of that performance, not a medical measurement.
Calculation method
VDOT is estimated from race distance and time with Daniels’ oxygen-cost and percent-VO2 formulas, then shown as ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹. Cite: Daniels, J., Daniels’ Running Formula, Human Kinetics.
The same race always produces the same VDOT. It is still a model, not a gas-exchange test.
This is not a diagnosis of aerobic health. Cooper’s 12-minute test is a different field estimate. Training paces live on their own tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is VDOT the same as VO2max?
VDOT is Daniels’ race-derived index, often treated as a VO2 estimate. It is not a laboratory VO2max.
What VO2 is a 20-minute 5K?
About VDOT 50. Enter 5 km and 20:00 to see the number this site computes.
Should I use a goal time or a recent race?
Use a recent honest race. A goal you have not run invents a VO2 you do not have yet.