What the Fran CrossFit Pace Calculator does
Fran is one of CrossFit's original benchmark workouts (WODs). It is a couplet of thrusters and pull-ups performed for time in a 21-15-9 rep scheme. This calculator turns a goal finish time into the pace you need to hold: your average time per rep, your reps per minute, and a target split for each of the three rounds. Instead of guessing, you go into the workout with concrete numbers to chase.
How to use it
Enter the goal finish time you want to hit, split into minutes and seconds. The calculator assumes the standard Fran rep scheme of 21-15-9 thrusters and pull-ups (90 reps in total) and immediately shows your target pace and round splits. Try a few goal times to find a pace that is aggressive but sustainable, then use the round splits as checkpoints during the workout.
The formula explained
Fran has three rounds of two movements. Adding the reps of both movements in every round gives the total work:
$$\text{Total reps} = (21 + 15 + 9)\times 2 = 90$$If T is your goal finish time in seconds, the average pace and the reps-per-minute rate are:
$$\text{Pace} = \frac{T}{90}\ \text{seconds per rep}$$ $$\text{Reps per minute} = \frac{90 \times 60}{T}$$Assuming you hold an even rep speed, a round that contains n reps (42 in the round of 21, 30 in the round of 15, and 18 in the round of 9, counting both movements) should take:
$$\text{Round split} = T \times \frac{n}{90}$$Worked example
Suppose your goal is to finish Fran in 5:00, which is 300 seconds. The pace is 300 ÷ 90 = 3.3 seconds per rep, or 5400 ÷ 300 = 18 reps per minute. The even-pace round splits are 300 × 42/90 = 140 seconds (2:20) for the round of 21, 300 × 30/90 = 100 seconds (1:40) for the round of 15, and 300 × 18/90 = 60 seconds (1:00) for the round of 9. Reaching 2:20 at the end of the first round tells you that you are on track for a 5:00 finish.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is the Fran workout? Fran is 21-15-9 reps of thrusters (prescribed at 43 kg / 95 lb for men and 30 kg / 65 lb for women) and pull-ups, done for time. That works out to 45 thrusters, 45 pull-ups, and 90 total reps.
Does the calculator assume I move at a constant speed? Yes. The round splits divide your goal time evenly across all 90 reps. In reality most athletes are fastest in the round of 21 and slow down in the round of 15, so treat the splits as pacing targets rather than a strict prediction.
What counts as a good Fran time? Elite CrossFit athletes finish in under 3 minutes, competitive athletes are usually in the 3-5 minute range, and a strong recreational time is around 5-10 minutes. Scale the load or reps if you cannot keep good form.
