If you’ve ever finished a run and wondered whether you were going fast enough — or too fast — you’re not alone. Most runners focus on speed, but the metric that truly matters for training and racing is pace. Understanding your pace helps you avoid burning out early, hit your target finish times, and train at the right intensity for your goals.

This guide covers everything you need to know about calculating running pace, converting between pace and speed, and using pace charts to plan your races.

What Is Running Pace?

Pace measures how long it takes you to cover a specific distance. Unlike speed, which tells you how far you travel in a given time, pace tells you how much time you need per unit of distance.

Pace is expressed as minutes per kilometer (min/km) or minutes per mile (min/mile)
Speed is expressed as kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph)

For example, a pace of 5:30 min/km means it takes you 5 minutes and 30 seconds to run one kilometer. This is more intuitive for runners than saying you’re running at 10.9 km/h, because pace directly translates to finish times.

How to Calculate Pace

The formula is straightforward:

Pace = Time ÷ Distance

For example, if you ran 10 km in 50 minutes:

Pace = 50 min ÷ 10 km = 5:00 min/km

If you ran 3 miles in 24 minutes:

Pace = 24 min ÷ 3 miles = 8:00 min/mile

To express pace in minutes and seconds, take the decimal portion and multiply by 60. For example, a pace of 5.5 min/km means 5 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometer (0.5 × 60 = 30 seconds).

Pace to Speed Conversion

Sometimes you need to convert between pace and speed — for instance, when a treadmill displays speed in km/h but your training plan uses pace.

Speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ Pace (min/km)

Speed (mph) = 60 ÷ Pace (min/mile)

Common conversions:

Pace (min/km)	Speed (km/h)	Pace (min/mile)	Speed (mph)
4:00	15.0	6:26	9.3
4:30	13.3	7:15	8.3
5:00	12.0	8:03	7.5
5:30	10.9	8:51	6.8
6:00	10.0	9:39	6.2
6:30	9.2	10:27	5.7
7:00	8.6	11:16	5.3

To convert between min/km and min/mile, multiply by 1.60934 (or divide for the reverse).

Common Race Distance Pace Charts

Use these charts to find the pace you need to hit your target finish time.

5K Pace Chart

Target Time	Pace (min/km)	Pace (min/mile)
20:00	4:00	6:26
25:00	5:00	8:03
30:00	6:00	9:39
35:00	7:00	11:16
40:00	8:00	12:52

10K Pace Chart

Target Time	Pace (min/km)	Pace (min/mile)
40:00	4:00	6:26
50:00	5:00	8:03
60:00	6:00	9:39
70:00	7:00	11:16
80:00	8:00	12:52

Half Marathon Pace Chart

Target Time	Pace (min/km)	Pace (min/mile)
1:30:00	4:15	6:50
1:45:00	4:58	8:00
2:00:00	5:41	9:09
2:15:00	6:24	10:18
2:30:00	7:07	11:27

Marathon Pace Chart

Target Time	Pace (min/km)	Pace (min/mile)
3:00:00	4:15	6:50
3:30:00	4:58	8:00
4:00:00	5:41	9:09
4:30:00	6:24	10:18
5:00:00	7:07	11:27

How to Determine Your Ideal Pace

Not all running should be done at the same pace. Effective training involves different pace zones for different types of runs.

Conversational Pace (Easy Runs)

This is the pace at which you can hold a full conversation without gasping. It typically falls at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate. Roughly 80% of your training should be at this pace. It builds your aerobic base and allows your body to recover between harder efforts.

Tempo Pace (Threshold Runs)

Tempo pace is comfortably hard — you can speak in short phrases but not hold a conversation. It’s roughly the pace you could sustain for one hour in a race. Training at tempo pace improves your body’s ability to clear lactate, allowing you to run faster for longer.

Interval Pace (Speed Work)

Interval pace is faster than your 5K race pace. You should only be able to speak in single words. These short, intense efforts improve your VO2 max and running economy.

A simple way to estimate your training paces: use a recent race time as your baseline. If you recently ran a 5K in 25 minutes (5:00 min/km pace), your easy pace would be roughly 5:45–6:15 min/km, your tempo pace around 4:45–5:00 min/km, and your interval pace around 4:15–4:35 min/km.

Tips for Improving Your Pace

Follow the 80/20 rule: Run 80% of your mileage at an easy pace and only 20% at faster paces. Most recreational runners make the mistake of running every workout at a moderate intensity, which leads to stagnation.
Be consistent: Running regularly matters more than running hard. Four to five runs per week will yield better results than two exhausting sessions.
Work on your form: Shorter, quicker strides are more efficient than long, overstriding steps. Aim for a cadence of around 170–180 steps per minute.
Incorporate interval training: Once a week, include a session of short, fast repetitions with recovery jog intervals. For example, 6 × 400m at interval pace with 200m jog recovery.
Build endurance first: Before focusing on speed, make sure you have a solid aerobic base. Gradually increase your weekly mileage before adding intense workouts.
Track your progress: Use a pace calculator and a running log to monitor improvements over time. Small, consistent gains add up to significant improvements.

Calculate Your Running Pace

Use our free Pace Calculator to quickly determine your pace from any run, convert between pace and speed, and plan your target paces for upcoming races.