Tools: VDOT, pace, return & TDEE calculators

All four calculators work without an account at www.pickpacer.com/tools. You only need to sign up to save results.

How to find your VDOT and training paces

1. Pick your race distance, or choose Other for track and custom distances.
2. Type your finish time as mm:ss or h:mm:ss. Results update as you type.
3. Read your VDOT, training paces (easy, marathon, threshold, interval, repetition and fast reps), track splits and race predictions.
4. Tap Save & apply fitness level to use these paces in your training plan. If you’re signed out, the button takes you to sign-up.

Open Heart rate zones to add heart-rate zones from your birthdate or max heart rate.

How to adjust for heat and altitude

1. Open Heat & altitude and enter a temperature, an altitude, or both.
2. Pick My race was in these conditions to see what your time is worth in cool weather at sea level. Your VDOT goes up to match.
3. Pick I’ll run in these conditions to keep your VDOT and slow your paces and race predictions instead. Saving still keeps your sea-level paces.

Heat adds time above 13°C (55°F). Altitude assumes you’ve spent a few days there first and uses the 2,250 m values for higher sites. Repetition and fast-rep paces don’t change with altitude. The adjustments follow the tables in Jack Daniels’ Running Formula.

How to work out a pace or finish time

Enter any two of distance, time and pace to work out the third. Handy for race-day splits.

How to return to running after a break

Open Return to Running when you’ve missed training for injury, illness or rest.

1. Enter your VDOT from before the break. Signed in, your saved VDOT fills in. Don’t know it? Get it from a race time on the VDOT tab.
2. Pick how long you were off with the week chips or the slider, or type the exact days.
3. Choose Rested completely or Did leg cardio (cycling, elliptical or uphill treadmill walking). Leg cardio keeps more of your fitness.
4. Optional: add your weight before and now. Weight gain lowers your VDOT. If you’re lighter now, your VDOT doesn’t change.
5. Optional: add your weekly distance before the break to see a weekly limit for each phase.
6. Read your comeback VDOT, its paces and your build-back phases. Tap Save as my VDOT to use these paces for training.

Up to 5 days off costs nothing. Breaks of up to 4 weeks come back in two halves, up to 8 weeks in three thirds, and longer breaks in five 3-week blocks. Once you race again, use that result in the VDOT calculator instead. The numbers follow chapter 9 of Jack Daniels’ Running Formula.

How to estimate calories and macros

Enter your body metrics and activity level to estimate daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and suggested macros. You can use the result as your nutrition goals.