The PACER Test
The PACER (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) is the 20-meter beep test used in FitnessGram and now as the cardio option in the 2026 Presidential Physical Fitness Test. You run back and forth across a 20-meter course in time with an audio cadence that speeds up each minute; your score is the number of laps you complete before you fall behind the beeps.
The FitnessGram PACER test script
The FitnessGram PACER test is a multistage aerobic capacity test that progressively gets more difficult as it continues. The 20 meter PACER test will begin in 30 seconds. Line up at the start. The running speed starts slowly, but gets faster each minute after you hear this signal. [beep] A single lap should be completed each time you hear this sound. [ding] Remember to run in a straight line, and run as long as possible. The second time you fail to complete a lap before the sound, your test is over. The test will begin on the word start. On your mark, get ready, start.
How the test works
- Mark a 20-meter course (about 65.6 feet) with a line at each end.
- Run to the far line and back in time with the audio; each 20-meter length is one lap.
- The cadence speeds up at the start of each minute (each new “level”).
- Your test ends the second time you fail to reach a line before the beep — your score is the laps completed.
PACER laps by age and sex
| Age | Boys (laps) | Girls (laps) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 27 | 22 |
| 7 | 32 | 25 |
| 8 | 39 | 29 |
| 9 | 47 | 35 |
| 10 | 55 | 41 |
| 11 | 60 | 46 |
| 12 | 65 | 49 |
| 13 | 70 | 50 |
| 14 | 75 | 50 |
| 15 | 81 | 50 |
| 16 | 84 | 50 |
| 17+ | 84 | 50 |
Verified source: Presidential Physical Fitness Test — current (2026) benchmarks — The White House / President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, Presidential Physical Fitness Test benchmark table (whitehouse.gov/fitness) (2026 (revived by the July 2025 executive order)). Reproduced verbatim and checked cell-by-cell. Award benchmarks (boys & girls, ages 6–17, all six exercises) transcribed verbatim from the official White House PDF and verified cell-by-cell. Official source · Sources & methodology
Frequently asked questions
What is a good PACER test score?
It depends on age and sex. On the 2026 Presidential Physical Fitness Test, the qualifying 20-meter PACER benchmark rises from about 27 laps for a 6-year-old boy to 84 for a 17-year-old, and from 22 to 50 laps for girls over the same range. More laps means higher aerobic fitness.
What are the FitnessGram PACER test lyrics / script?
The audio begins: “The FitnessGram PACER test is a multistage aerobic capacity test that progressively gets more difficult as it continues…” The full cadence is quoted on this page. It’s not a song — it’s the official instructions, which became an internet meme.
Is the PACER the same as the beep test?
Yes. The PACER is the 20-meter multistage shuttle run — the same format as the “beep test” / “bleep test” used worldwide. FitnessGram popularized the 20-meter version in U.S. schools.
How does the PACER relate to VO₂max?
More PACER laps predicts a higher VO₂max (aerobic capacity), and FitnessGram converts laps to an estimated VO₂max to set its Healthy Fitness Zone. You can estimate your own VO₂max from several field tests on our VO₂max calculator.