On this page
Formula
Pace = time ÷ distance; time = pace × distance; distance = time ÷ pace
- pace
- time per unit of distance, in minutes and seconds per mile or per kilometer
- time
- total elapsed time in hours, minutes and seconds
- distance
- distance covered, in miles, kilometers or meters
What this pace calculator does
Pace, time and distance are tied together: know any two and you can work out the third. This pace calculator has a mode for each:
- Find pace. Enter a race or custom distance and your finish time to get minutes per mile and per kilometer, plus your speed in mph and km/h.
- Find finish time. Enter a distance and a target pace to see how long the run will take.
- Find distance. Enter how long you ran and your pace to see how far you went.
Every mode lists even-pace splits for each mile or kilometer, so you can write them on your wrist or program them into a watch.
How to use the pace calculator
- Choose the mode that matches the question you are asking.
- Pick a race distance (1 mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon) or choose Custom and enter any distance in miles, kilometers or meters.
- Enter the time in hours, minutes and seconds, or the pace in minutes and seconds. You can leave unused boxes empty; 90 seconds with no minutes is fine.
- Choose whether to see pace per mile or per kilometer. The other unit appears in the results too.
The running pace formula
Pace is simply time divided by distance:
pace = time ÷ distance
Rearranged, time = pace × distance and distance = time ÷ pace. The only tricky part is the clock arithmetic. Convert everything to seconds first, do the division or multiplication, then convert back to minutes and seconds.
How to calculate pace per mile by hand
Say you ran a 5K in 27:30 and want your pace per mile.
- Convert the time to seconds: 27 × 60 + 30 = 1,650 s.
- Convert the distance to miles: 5,000 m ÷ 1,609.344 = 3.107 mi.
- Divide: 1,650 ÷ 3.107 = 531.1 s per mile.
- Convert back: 531 s = 8 min 51 s, so the pace is 8:51 per mile (5:30 per kilometer).
Finish time from a pace
To hold 9:00 per mile for a half marathon, multiply 540 s by 13.109 miles: 7,079 s, or 1:57:59. That is why a 9-minute-mile pace is a common target for runners chasing a sub-2-hour half.
Race finish times at common paces
The table shows even-pace finish times for standard races, computed with the same rounding the calculator uses.
| Pace per mile | Pace per km | 5K | 10K | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | 4:21 | 21:45 | 43:30 | 1:31:46 | 3:03:32 |
| 8:00 | 4:58 | 24:51 | 49:43 | 1:44:53 | 3:29:45 |
| 9:00 | 5:36 | 27:58 | 55:55 | 1:57:59 | 3:55:58 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 31:04 | 1:02:08 | 2:11:06 | 4:22:11 |
| 11:00 | 6:50 | 34:11 | 1:08:21 | 2:24:12 | 4:48:24 |
| 12:00 | 7:27 | 37:17 | 1:14:34 | 2:37:19 | 5:14:38 |
A marathon is 26.219 miles (42.195 km), not 26, so marathon pace charts that multiply by 26 come out about a minute and a half to three minutes short.
Where pace calculations help
- Race planning. Turn a goal time into a per-mile or per-km pace and a split for every marker on the course.
- Training runs. Easy runs, tempo runs and intervals are usually prescribed as paces. Pair them with your heart rate zones to check the effort matches.
- Predicting other distances. Once you know your pace for one race, the race time predictor estimates what you could run over a longer or shorter distance.
- Treadmill sessions. Convert a target pace into mph, or use the speed converter for other units.
- Energy use. The calories burned calculator uses running speed to pick an activity intensity.
Common mistakes
- Treating minutes as decimals. 8.5 minutes is 8:30, not 8:50. Convert to seconds before dividing.
- Rounding the marathon to 26 miles. The extra 0.219 mile adds about two minutes at a 9:00 pace.
- Mixing units. Dividing a time by kilometers gives pace per kilometer; to compare with a mile pace, multiply by 1.609344.
- Planning on GPS distance. Your watch will likely show 0.5% to 1% more distance than the course, so aim for a target pace a few seconds quicker than the calculated one.
- Expecting even splits on a hilly course. Use the split table as a guide and adjust for climbs and descents.
Glossary
- Pace. Time per unit distance, such as 8:51 per mile.
- Split. The elapsed time at a marker, such as mile 5 or kilometer 10.
- Even splits. Running every mile or kilometer at the same pace.
- Negative split. Running the second half of a race faster than the first.
Worked examples
Pace for a 10K finished in 52:30
A 10K run in 52 minutes 30 seconds, pace shown per mile.
Inputs (Find pace): Race distance = 10K; Time: minutes = 52 min; Time: seconds = 30 s; Show pace per = Minutes per mile
Pace = time ÷ distance = 3,150 s ÷ 6.2137 mi = 506.94 s per mi = 8:27 /mi
Answer: 10K in 52:30 is a pace of 8:27 /mi (5:15 /km).
Marathon finish time at 5:15 per kilometer
Holding 5:15 per kilometer for the full 42.195 km.
Inputs (Find finish time): Race distance = Marathon; Pace: minutes = 5 min; Pace: seconds = 15 s; Pace unit = Minutes per kilometer
Time = pace × distance = 315 s per km × 42.195 km = 13,291.4 s = 3:41:31
Answer: Marathon at 5:15 /km takes 3:41:31.
Distance covered in 45 minutes at 10:00 per mile
An easy 45-minute run at a 10-minute mile.
Inputs (Find distance): Time: minutes = 45 min; Pace: minutes = 10 min; Pace: seconds = 0 s; Pace unit = Minutes per mile; Show distance in = Miles
Distance = time ÷ pace = 2,700 s ÷ 600 s per mi = 4.5 mi
Answer: At 10:00 /mi for 45:00 you cover 4.5 mi.
Track edge case: 400 m in 90 seconds
One lap of a standard track in 90 seconds, a distance under one kilometer, so no split table.
Inputs (Find pace): Race distance = Custom distance; Distance = 400; Distance unit = Meters; Time: seconds = 90 s; Show pace per = Minutes per kilometer
Pace = time ÷ distance = 90 s ÷ 0.4 km = 225 s per km = 3:45 /km
Answer: 400 m in 1:30 is a pace of 3:45 /km (6:02 /mi).
Assumptions and limitations
- Pace is treated as constant over the whole distance (even splits). Real races include hills, turns, water stops and fatigue.
- Race distances use the official values: 5K = 5,000 m, 10K = 10,000 m, half marathon = 21,097.5 m and marathon = 42,195 m. One mile is exactly 1,609.344 m.
- Times and paces are rounded to the nearest second; distances to two decimal places (whole meters when shown in meters).
- The split table lists every whole mile or kilometer plus the finish, and is omitted for runs shorter than one unit or longer than 60 units.
- GPS watches often measure a race slightly long, so your watch pace may read a few seconds faster than the official-distance pace.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate pace?
Divide your time by the distance. A 5K in 27:30 is 1,650 seconds ÷ 5 km = 330 seconds per kilometer, which is 5:30 per km. Convert the leftover decimal of a minute into seconds by multiplying by 60.
How do I calculate pace per mile from a km pace?
Multiply the km pace by 1.609344. A 5:30 per km pace is 330 s × 1.609344 = 531 s, or 8:51 per mile. Going the other way, divide a mile pace by 1.609344.
What pace do I need for a sub-4-hour marathon?
4 hours over 26.22 miles is 9:09 per mile, or 5:41 per kilometer. Most runners aim a few seconds faster to leave room for water stations and the extra distance from imperfect tangents.
What is the difference between pace and speed?
Pace is time per distance, such as 9:00 per mile. Speed is distance per time, such as 6.67 mph. They are reciprocals, so a faster runner has a lower pace and a higher speed.
Can I use the pace calculator for a treadmill?
Yes. Treadmills show speed in mph or km/h. Divide 60 by the speed to get minutes per mile or km; 7.5 mph is 8:00 per mile. The calculator also shows speed for any pace you enter.
Why does my watch show a different pace from the calculator?
GPS tracks wander and race courses are measured along the shortest legal line. Most runners cover slightly more than the official distance, so the watch reports a longer distance and a quicker pace than official time ÷ official distance.
Sources
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9: Factors for units listed by kind of quantity or field of science — National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Checked October 10, 2026.
- Marathon — World Athletics. Checked October 10, 2026.