Health & Fitness
How to Calculate Running Pace and Speed
Understand the difference between pace and speed, learn the conversion formulas, and use them to plan your training and race strategy.
Pace and speed measure the same thing — how fast you're moving — but from opposite directions. Speed tells you distance per unit of time. Pace tells you time per unit of distance. Runners typically use pace; cyclists typically use speed.
Pace vs Speed Formulas
Speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ pace (min/km). Pace (min/km) = 60 ÷ speed (km/h). For miles: speed (mph) = 60 ÷ pace (min/mile).
Common Pace Reference Points
- 6:00 min/km = 10 km/h — comfortable jogging pace
- 5:00 min/km = 12 km/h — moderate running
- 4:00 min/km = 15 km/h — fast recreational runner
- 3:00 min/km = 20 km/h — competitive runner
- 2:30 min/km — elite marathon pace (Kipchoge: ~2:51/km)
Predicting Race Times
To predict your finish time, multiply your pace (in seconds per km) by the race distance in km. For a 5K at 5:30 min/km: 330 seconds × 5 = 1,650 seconds = 27.5 minutes. For a half marathon (21.1 km) at the same pace: 330 × 21.1 = 6,963 seconds = 116.05 minutes = 1:56:03.
Training paces should vary by purpose. Easy runs at 60–70% max effort. Tempo runs at 80–85%. Intervals at 90–95%. Running everything at medium effort is one of the most common training mistakes.