Turn a run time and distance into pace per kilometre and per mile plus speed — or work the other way and predict your finish time from a target pace. Times are entered as hours, minutes and seconds.
Pace Calculator
How the Pace Calculator Works
Pace is the time it takes to cover one unit of distance — usually minutes per kilometre or minutes per mile — and it is the number runners, cyclists and walkers actually use to plan and compare training. This calculator works out pace from your distance and total time, and also converts between min/km and min/mile, so you can make sense of training plans, race results and apps that use different units. Knowing your pace lets you judge a course, set realistic race targets, and spot fitness gains that total time alone can hide.
The calculation is simple division. Pace (min/km) = Total time in minutes ÷ Distance in km. For a 10 km run in 50 minutes, that is 5:00 per km. If you work in miles, the same run is 6.21 miles, so pace is 50 ÷ 6.21 = 8:03 per mile. The calculator also works in reverse: given a target pace and distance, it predicts the total time (time = pace × distance), and given a target time and distance, it finds the required pace. Converting between systems uses 1 mile = 1.609344 km.
For race planning, the result also shows the equivalent pace at common race distances, so you can see what your current pace would give you over 5 km, 10 km, a half marathon (21.0975 km) or a marathon (42.195 km). The model assumes you can hold the pace evenly — in practice, courses, hills and fatigue make real splits vary, so treat race predictions as guides rather than promises.
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose the calculation: pace from time and distance, or total time from pace and distance.
- Enter the distance in kilometres or miles.
- Enter the total time (or the target pace, if solving for time) in hours, minutes and seconds.
- Press Calculate to see the pace in min/km and min/mile, plus the equivalent race times.
- Use the result to set training zones: easy runs are usually 60–90 seconds per km slower than race pace, tempo runs 10–20 seconds slower.
Example
Run 10 km in 50 minutes and your pace is 5:00 per km (50 ÷ 10), or 8:03 per mile (50 ÷ 6.21). At that pace, a half marathon would take about 1 hour 45 minutes and a marathon about 3 hours 31 minutes.
Walk 5 km in 1 hour and your pace is 12:00 per km (60 ÷ 5), or 19:19 per mile. The same method works for cycling too: 30 km in 1 hour 30 minutes is 3:00 per km, which is 4:50 per mile.
Understanding Your Result
Pace only means something in context. A 5:00/km run is strong for a recreational runner, modest for a club athlete, and irrelevant to a walker — the same number tells different stories depending on who you are and what you train for. Compare your pace against your own history first: a steady 10-second-per-km improvement over a season is a meaningful gain, while comparing yourself to elite times is a recipe for discouragement. Use the calculator’s race equivalents to see what your current fitness predicts, then set the next target a small step beyond it.
A few cautions. GPS watches and phone apps can be off by 1–2% on distance, which shifts pace by a few seconds per km — enough to matter if you are chasing a personal best, so measure key courses carefully. Treadmill pace also differs from outdoor pace because there is no wind or terrain. And pace alone does not capture effort: the same pace feels very different uphill, in heat, or at the end of a long run. Use pace together with perceived effort and, if you have one, heart rate, rather than treating it as the only measure of a run.
For training, pace bands give the numbers a job. Easy or recovery runs typically sit 60–90 seconds per km slower than your 10 km race pace; tempo or threshold runs sit around 10–20 seconds per km slower than 10 km pace; interval sessions mix short efforts faster than race pace with slow recoveries. A common beginner band is 7:00–8:00/km for easy running, while a regular runner aiming for a sub-50-minute 10 km might do easy runs at 6:00–6:30/km and tempo work at 5:10–5:20/km. Enter your recent race time into the calculator, find your pace, and these bands follow naturally.
Pace Calculator FAQs
What is a good running pace?
It depends entirely on your experience and goals. A comfortable jogging pace for a new runner is often 7:00–8:00/km (11:00–13:00 per mile), while a trained club runner might race a 10 km at 4:30–5:00/km. The best benchmark is your own improvement over time.
How do I convert min/km to min/mile?
Multiply the min/km figure by 1.609344. So 5:00 per km is 5 × 1.609344 = 8:03 per mile. The calculator does this conversion automatically.
Why does my watch pace differ from the calculator?
GPS distance errors, paused time, and rounding all shift the result. A watch that measures 10.2 km instead of 10 km will show a slower pace for the same time. Measure courses carefully for exact comparisons.
Can I use this for cycling or swimming?
Yes — the maths is the same for any distance and time. Cyclists often use km/h instead of min/km, but the pace figures still describe the same effort, and the conversion is straightforward.
What pace should I target for a marathon?
A realistic first marathon target is usually 30–60 seconds per km slower than your half-marathon pace, because the distance punishes over-ambitious starts. Use the calculator’s race equivalents to find a pace you can genuinely hold for 42.195 km.
Related calculators: Time Calculator, Hours Calculator, BMR Calculator.