Are you seeking what is the conversion from 21km in miles is? If so, welcome to RunDreamAchieve. 21 kilometers comes out to 13 miles. It is just shy of the 13.1 mile race distance. The 21 km race distance is often ran here in the united States of America and around the world. The biggest issue for many runners is pace sustainment. Of course, many runners can maintain goal race pace for a number of minutes, miles or kilometers.
That being said, it is something entirely different to run 13.1 miles at under goal race pace. Proper pacing early on in your race is critical. The reason being is you don’t want to go into oxygen debt too soon. So, you have to be smart and patient about how to run this race distance. I recommend first focusing on an easy, aerobic base-building phase of your preparation. The time frame should be around 4 weeks long.
The proper time frame to prepare the best for a 21 km race is 16 to 20 weeks. Remember, the longer the build-up the more fit you are going to be. You cannot rush fitness. In addition, it takes between 3 to 4 weeks for the body to adapt to any stressor being placed on it. So, a 16 to 20-week build-up for your 21km race will set you up for success.
21 kilometers to meters
21 km per hour comes out to 4:35 mile pace. The athlete will need to average 2:51 per kilometer over 21 kilometers in order to run a 21km race in an hour. So, the key is to train at, near and exceedingly faster than these pace in training. A common mistake I see a lot of runners making is running too easy for too many miles during their training.
I have always believed that long, slow running makes for great long, slow runners
-Sebastian Coe , former world-record holder, 800m (1.41.73)
The best middle to long distance runners are running about 40% of their weekly volume at higher intensities. So, to run a 21km race under an hour you have to train fast. In addition, you also need to jog on easy days. Remember, the benefits of your hard training are going to occur during the rest period.
CHECK OUT OUR RUNNING COURSESHow Do You Race a 21K?
A lot of people searching for 21km in miles want to race over this distance. Again, 21 kilometers comes out to just over 13 miles. I would recommend adding in strides during your base building phase. In addition, continuing to do these types of short, acceleration drill throughout your training build up. Strides are short, 50 to 100 meter accelerations.
The great thing about strides is they won’t build up any lactic acid to fatigue you. Remember, this is a gradual build-up speed. The entire stride itself should not be all-out. The last 20 meters or so of the stride should be all out.
Strides will help you practice your leg turn over and posture while running fast. You race a 21k by focusing on doing a negative. So, the second half of your race should be aimed at being faster than the first half.
Can I Run a 21K without Training?
Sure, you can run 21 kilometers without training. That being said, it is not going to be fun. In fact, you may have a higher likelihood of getting injured or being forced to stop. It is a much wiser move to train and prepare for your 21 kilometer race. As mentioned above, base mileage will strengthen your tendons, ligaments and muscles.
Strides will introduce speed training into that part of the training build up. You then will want to start focusing on 21km race pace. In addition, your speed training development phase. Lastly, we focus on the taper phase where we start to drop intensity and volume. The goal is to allow the body to repair itself and rest during those last 10 days.
I recommend subscribing to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new training and racing content there each week. The goal is to help speed up your knowledge to ensure you get the best results possible over your chosen distance.
What Should I Eat Before a 21K?
Focus on carbo loading the week before the race. So, the most important thing to keep in mind in converting 21km in miles and racing over 21km is timing. It isn’t what you eat the night before as much as it is the week before your race. So, plenty of pasta, greens, fruits and vegetables. Also, make sure you are hydrating well the week before your race.
The best runners are always looking at all angles when it comes to racing. Normalcy surrounds us all. It doesn’t take much to run an average 21K time. It is something entirely different to produce a new personal best. My hope is that this post and the resources you will find here will help you do do that.
Heart Rate Monitor Training
An additional way to prepare properly for your 21 km race is utilizing a heart rate monitor. I highly recommend the Garmin 245 which I use. It will help to ensure you are running in the correct heart rate zone. In addition, you focus on heart rate rather than worrying about your splits. Remember, as you get fitter the splits will take care of themselves.
Also, heart rate monitor training ensures you are not running too fast on easy days. The athlete seeking 21km in miles already tells me they are are searching for excellence. The best middle to long distance runners are seeking how to use leverage. How can I get better results by working smarter, rather than harder.
How many hard working athletes do you know who still miss their time goals? I have known many. So, it isn’t about the volume you are going as much as it is the quality of the work you are doing. A heart rate monitor is one tool you can use to set yourself up for success.
How Do I Train for a 21 K?
Focus on a training build up of 16 to 20 weeks. Again, a longer you prepare for your race the less rushed you will feel. It is very difficult to run fast over 15 kilometers with a 8 to 12 week build up. Of course, there are many runners who can perform well in this time frame. That being said, it still is a wise move to focus on a 4 to 5 month 21k training plan.
We do have training plans, running courses and monthly, online coaching available here at RunDreamAchieve. So, be sure to check out these resources to speed up your learning curve. The 4 key areas of our training plans and running courses focus on…
- Base building phase (4 to 5 weeks)
- Race pace training phase (4 to 5 weeks)
- Speed development phase (6 to 7 weeks)
- Taper phase (2 weeks)
Longer Tempo Runs
An additional way to train for those seeking the conversion from 21 km in miles is longer tempo runs. You will be running at between 85 to 88% of your maximum heart rate at this effort. A common mistake I see runners making is not running long enough at their anaerobic threshold.
A 3 to 4 mile tempo run may be sufficient for a 5K but not for the 15km to half-marathon race distance.Again, the goal here is to improve your lactate tolerance. Running easy will not provide you this adaptation, faster running will.
So, we focus on first starting off around 2 to 3 miles in length. Also, focusing on extending the duration of the tempo run as the athlete gets in better shape. Tempo runs from 6 to 10 miles are optimal to be best prepared to race over 21 kilometers.
Speed Development
The 21km race distance demands a combination of both stamina and endurance. So, you need to train at your vo2 max. Your vo2 max is your body’s maximum oxygen uptake. It is running so fast you can’t clear lactic acid faster than it is building up. The end goal with this type of training is to get your 21km race pace to feel easier.
You are running between 95 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate running at this effort. So, it is highly uncomfortable and painful. You want to focus on starting your next interval once your heart rate gets back down to 120 beats per minute.
How Long Should You Train for a 21K?
As mentioned above, the optimal time frame is between 16 to 20 weeks. Of course, we will also have new half-marathon training plans available here that are 8 to 12 weeks as well.
The reason is many athletes have busy schedules and may need a shorter build up. That being said, the most optimal time frame is 16 to 20 weeks. Again, 21km in miles is just over 13 miles. so, we want to focus on getting that race pace to feel easier and more sustainable.
Run Longer
Time on your feet is essential. Running long and slow is important. My best advice is just don’t do it every single weekend. Remember, to race fast over 13 miles or 21km you have to also train fast. Again, you want to get that 21 km race pace to feel easier. The only way to do this is to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers. You do this my hill training and via speed workouts. 21km in miles comes out to 13 miles.
That being said, running easy and for long periods of time will burn fat. In addition, build that endurance that you will need in that 21km race distance. My recommendation is work to toward 20 to 22 miles for your long runs. Can you imagine how easy a 21km race is going to feel knowing you have done 20 to 22 mile long runs?
Of course, we don’t start the athlete out immediately doing 20-22 mile long runs. A long run of 7 to 8 miles may be the norm at first. Again, the body will adapt. So, being strategic in our build up is essential. The key is to burn the fuel source we have the most of in the race, fat. Also, to conserve what we have much less of, carbohydrates. We want to call upon that glycogen when we really need it, at the end of the race.
Faster Long Runs
Faster, varied paced long runs is an additional way to run faster over 21 kilometers. Again, you want to train at a higher intensity for a longer period of time. No, you should do the entire run fast. Below are some examples of the types of long runs I did prior to running 2:19:35 for the marathon. Always follow the next week’s long run with an easier, relaxed long run.
What you don’t want to do is run slow every single weekend. Remember, the goal is to sustain 21km race pace longer and more effectively than your competition. So, whether seeking the 21km in miles conversation or running faster over any distance, think about leverage.
- 2 mile warm-up, 5 miles@5:35 mile pace, 2 miles easy, 1 mile in 4:55, 3 miles@6:00 mile pace, 2 miles easy, 2 miles@5:20 mile pace, 2 mile cool-down (19 miles)
- 1 mile warm-up, 10 miles@5:30 mile pace, 3 miles easy, 1 mile in 5:00, 2 miles easy, 4 miles@5:25 mile pace, 2 mile cool-down (23 miles)
Again, the following weeks’ long run should always be easy and relaxed. The body will always adapt. That being said, you have to ensure you give it proper time to recover. The training plans and running courses I teach here are focused on this type of training philosophy. I lowered my 10 mile time from 55.03 to 50:54 using this tactic. Also, my half marathon from 1:10.29 to 1:07:06 and marathon from 2:43:36 to 2:19:35.
Closing Thoughts
So you may have been seeking a 21 km to miles conversion but hope this post overdelivered for you. Remember, racing well over any distance requires a proper plan. You don’t want to just guess what workouts you need to be doing on a daily basis. The training resources available here will help to ensure you are successful.
Focus on all of the fundamentals that go into a great 21km race. Remember, practice drinking in training rather than just sipping. The 21km race is just shy of the half-marathon distance. So, you definitely want to hydrate well during the race.
Your body will need those calories and hydration to perform at peak levels. Spend 10 to 15 minutes mentally training as well. Again, 21km in miles is 13 miles. So, see yourself training and competing successfully. You need to combine both mental and physical training to start hitting new personal bests.
There are far too many runners who neglect this. The world’s top runners focus both on physical as well as mental preparation. So, you need to be considering this as well to take your running to the next level.
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