Running Pace Explained: What It Is and How to Calculate It
Runners rarely talk about speed in kilometers per hour. They talk about pace: "I ran at 5:30." Pace tells you how many minutes a kilometer takes, and it is the most practical way to set race goals and training effort.
What is pace?
Pace is the time it takes to cover a unit of distance. Most of the world uses minutes per kilometer (min/km); in the US and UK minutes per mile is common. A pace of 6:00/km means every kilometer takes you six minutes.
Speed is the opposite: distance per unit of time (km/h). The lower your pace, the higher your speed. Speed makes more sense for cycling, pace for running and walking, which is why Milefolk shows pace for runs and walks and speed for rides.
How to calculate pace
The formula is simple: pace = time ÷ distance.
- You ran 5 km in 30 minutes: 30 ÷ 5 = 6:00/km.
- You ran 10 km in 55 minutes: 55 ÷ 10 = 5.5 minutes = 5:30/km (half a minute is 30 seconds).
- You ran 8 km in 46 minutes: 46 ÷ 8 = 5.75 minutes = 5:45/km.
To turn pace into speed, divide 60 by the pace: 6:00/km is 60 ÷ 6 = 10 km/h. To convert to minutes per mile, multiply the pace by 1.609.
Pace chart
The chart below shows how long common race distances take at different paces.
| Pace (min/km) | Speed (km/h) | min/mile | 5K | 10K | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 | 15.0 | 6:26 | 20:00 | 40:00 | 1:24:23 | 2:48:47 |
| 4:30 | 13.3 | 7:15 | 22:30 | 45:00 | 1:34:56 | 3:09:53 |
| 5:00 | 12.0 | 8:03 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:58 |
| 5:30 | 10.9 | 8:51 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 6:00 | 10.0 | 9:39 | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:30 | 9.2 | 10:28 | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
| 7:00 | 8.6 | 11:16 | 35:00 | 1:10:00 | 2:27:41 | 4:55:22 |
Finding the right pace
Easy runs: a pace you can talk at
Most of your training should be easy. A simple test: if you can speak in full sentences while running, you're at the right pace. It is usually 1–2 minutes per kilometer slower than your race pace, and that's normal.
Race pace
Base your goal race pace on a recent result. If you run a 5K in 30 minutes, a pace 15–20 seconds per kilometer slower (about 6:15–6:20/km) is a realistic place to start for a 10K.
Look at your splits
Not just the average: the pace of each kilometer (your splits) tells a story too. Very fast first kilometers and very slow last ones mean you started too hard. Even splits, or ones that get a little faster towards the end, are the sign of good pacing.
Pace in Milefolk
Milefolk shows your live pace while recording, and afterwards your average pace, every kilometer's split and a pace chart along the distance. Switch between kilometers and miles in the settings. Auto-pause leaves the time spent waiting at traffic lights out of your moving time, so your pace reflects how you actually ran.
New to running? Have a look at our zero-to-5K plan.