Running Pace Calculator
Calculate your running pace from distance and time, or find your finish time from pace and distance.
Supports miles and kilometers.
Running pace, speed, and finish time calculations are the three interconnected metrics that define every runner’s workout and race performance. Knowing any two of these values allows you to calculate the third.
Core formulas: Pace = Time ÷ Distance (result: min/km or min/mile) Speed = Distance ÷ Time (result: km/h or mph) Finish Time = Pace × Distance Distance = Speed × Time
Unit relationships: Speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ Pace (min/km) Pace (min/km) = 60 ÷ Speed (km/h)
What each variable means:
- Pace — time per unit distance. Running at a 6:00/km pace means each kilometer takes exactly 6 minutes. The most intuitive metric for distance runners.
- Speed — distance per unit time. More natural for cyclists and treadmill users. 10 km/h = a 6:00/km pace.
- Finish Time — total elapsed time from start to crossing the finish line for a set distance.
- Split time — pace for a specific segment of a race or run (e.g., first 5K split vs. second 5K split of a 10K race).
Training pace zones by race goal:
| Goal Race | Easy Run Pace | Tempo/Threshold | Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-25 min 5K | 7:00–8:00/km | 5:30–5:45/km | 5:00/km |
| Sub-50 min 10K | 7:30–8:30/km | 5:45–6:00/km | 5:00/km |
| Sub-2hr Half | 7:00–8:00/km | 5:30–5:45/km | 5:41/km |
| Sub-4hr Marathon | 7:30–8:30/km | 6:00–6:15/km | 5:41/km |
Worked example 1 — calculating finish time: A runner runs at 5:30/km pace for a half marathon (21.097 km).
Finish Time = 5.50 min × 21.097 = 116.0 minutes = 1 hour 56 minutes 0 seconds
Worked example 2 — calculating required pace: A runner wants to finish a marathon (42.195 km) in 3 hours 45 minutes (225 minutes).
Required Pace = 225 ÷ 42.195 = 5.332 min/km = 5:20/km (5 minutes 20 seconds per kilometer) Required Speed = 60 ÷ 5.332 = 11.25 km/h
Negative split strategy: Running the second half of a race faster than the first half. Elite marathoners typically run negative splits of 30–90 seconds total. Start conservatively to preserve glycogen stores for the final 10 km.