Pace is time divided by distance
Give it any two of pace, time and distance and the third follows. Finish time is distance × pace: a 10 km run at 5:30/km takes 55 minutes. Speed is just pace flipped over — 60 ÷ pace(min/km) gives km/h, so 6:00/km is 10 km/h.
Pace and speed conversion
| min/km | min/mile | km/h | mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 | 6:26 | 15.0 | 9.3 |
| 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.0 | 7.5 |
| 5:30 | 8:51 | 10.9 | 6.8 |
| 6:00 | 9:39 | 10.0 | 6.2 |
| 7:00 | 11:16 | 8.6 | 5.3 |
| 8:00 | 12:52 | 7.5 | 4.7 |
min/mile is always the larger number than min/km for the same effort, because a mile takes longer to cover than a kilometer.
Finish time at a steady pace
| Race | Distance | At 5:00/km | At 6:00/km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K | 5 km | 25:00 | 30:00 |
| 10K | 10 km | 50:00 | 60:00 |
| Half marathon | 21.1 km | 1:45:29 | 2:06:35 |
| Marathon | 42.2 km | 3:30:59 | 4:13:10 |
These assume an even pace the whole way. Most runners drift 10–15 seconds per kilometer slower late in a long race, so a small time buffer keeps the plan honest.
The mistakes that throw off a plan
- Mixing pace and speed. "My pace is 10 km/h" is a speed. The pace for 10 km/h is 6:00/km.
- Forgetting the mile factor. A mile is 1.609 km, not 1. Reading 8:00/mile as 8:00/km makes you look slower than you are — 8:00/mile is really about 4:58/km.
Common questions
How do I work out my pace?
Divide your total time by the distance. Run 10 km in 50 minutes and your pace is 50 divided by 10, which is 5:00 per kilometer. In miles, divide the same time by the miles you covered.
What is the difference between pace and speed?
They are the same information stated two ways. Pace is time per distance (5:00 per km); speed is distance per time (12 km/h). Runners think in pace because "how long is the next kilometer" is easier to feel than a speedometer number.
How do I convert min/km to min/mile?
Multiply your min/km pace by 1.609 to get min/mile, since a mile is longer than a kilometer. A 6:00/km pace is about 9:39/mile. Divide by 1.609 to go the other way.
