Pace Calculator
A 4:00:00 marathon needs 9:09 per mile (5:41 per km), reaching halfway in 2:00:00. Enter any two of time, distance and pace and this calculator gives the third, per mile or per km, for every race distance or one you type in.
It shows the arithmetic with your numbers, estimates your times at other distances, and makes a free printable pace band.
Free PDF: 4:00:00 for 26.22 mi, even splits per mile.
Average pace
9:09/mi
Per km
5:41 /km
Time4:00:00
DistanceMarathon
Speed6.55 mph
4:00:00 over 26.22 mi (42.2 km) is 9:09 per mile, or 5:41 per kilometre.
How do you calculate running pace?
Pace is time divided by distance. Time is pace multiplied by distance, and distance is time divided by pace. The only traps are units: a marathon is 42.195 km, which is 26.219 mi rather than 26.2, and a pace like 9:09 is minutes and seconds, not a decimal. Here is the working for the numbers in the calculator right now:
pace = time ÷ distance
4:00:00 = 240.00 min · 42.195 km = 26.219 mi
240.00 min ÷ 26.219 mi = 9.154 min per mile
0.154 min × 60 = 9.2 s → 9:09 per mile
4:00:00 over 26.219 mi = 9:09/mi
What would this result mean at other distances?
The table estimates equivalent times at the mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon from the result above, two ways. Riegel scales your time by distance with an exponent of 1.06. VDOT uses the Daniels and Gilbert oxygen-cost equations. When they disagree, the truth for you depends on your training. See the methodology for both formulas, the race time predictor for more distances, or the VDOT calculator for training paces.
| Distance | Riegel | VDOT |
|---|---|---|
| Mile | 7:317:31/mi | 7:287:28/mi |
| 5K | 25:018:03/mi | 25:148:07/mi |
| 10K | 52:108:24/mi | 52:228:26/mi |
| Half marathon | 1:55:078:47/mi | 1:56:068:51/mi |
| Marathonyour result | 4:00:009:09/mi | 4:00:009:09/mi |
Estimates, not promises. Both assume you have trained for the longer distance.
What pace do popular goal times need?
Average pace for common goals, at even splits. Each distance links to its full pace chart with every goal time, mile and km splits, and a pace band.
| Distance | Goal | Per mile | Per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile pace chart | 6:00 | 6:00 | 3:44 |
| Mile | 8:00 | 8:00 | 4:58 |
| Mile | 10:00 | 10:00 | 6:13 |
| 5K pace chart | 20:00 | 6:26 | 4:00 |
| 5K | 25:00 | 8:03 | 5:00 |
| 5K | 30:00 | 9:39 | 6:00 |
| 10K pace chart | 45:00 | 7:15 | 4:30 |
| 10K | 50:00 | 8:03 | 5:00 |
| 10K | 1:00:00 | 9:39 | 6:00 |
| Half marathon pace chart | 1:30:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 |
| Half marathon | 2:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| Half marathon | 2:30:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 |
| Marathon pace chart | 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 |
| Marathon | 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 |
| Marathon | 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 |
How do you convert pace per mile to pace per km?
A mile is exactly 1.609344 km, so divide seconds per mile by 1.609344 to get seconds per km, and multiply to go the other way. For 9:00 per mile:
9:00/mi = 540 s per mile
540 s ÷ 1.609344 = 335.5 s per km
335.5 s = 5:36 per km
9:00/mi = 5:36/km
Set the pace unit in the calculator to /km and the answer, the pace band and the equivalents table all switch together. For treadmill speeds in mph or km/h, use the treadmill pace chart.
What does the calculator not account for?
It assumes the distance is exact and the effort is even. Real courses add a little: GPS watches usually read long, and few runners hold the shortest line around every bend, so plan to cover slightly more than the official distance. Hills, heat, wind and aid-station stops are yours to budget. The race equivalents are estimates from population formulas, not a promise, and they assume you have trained for the distance you are converting to.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my running pace?
Divide your time by your distance. A 4:00:00 marathon is 240 minutes over 26.219 mi, which is 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per km. The calculator does this for any two of time, distance and pace and shows each step with your numbers.
What is a 9 minute mile in pace per km?
5:36 per km. Divide the seconds per mile by 1.609344 (the kilometres in a mile): 540 ÷ 1.609344 = 335.5 seconds. Held for a full marathon, 9:00 per mile finishes in 3:55:58.
What pace is a 25 minute 5K?
8:03 per mile or 5:00 per km. A 5K is 3.107 mi, so 25 minutes ÷ 3.107 mi gives that pace. The 5K pace chart lists every goal time from the same maths.
How accurate is the race equivalent table?
It is an estimate, not a prediction you should race on blind. A 50:00 10K gives 1:50:19 for the half by Riegel and 1:50:52 by VDOT. Both assume you have trained for the longer race; Riegel in particular tends to be optimistic at the marathon for runners on low mileage.
What Riegel exponent does the calculator use?
1.06, the value Peter Riegel published in American Scientist in 1981. The formula is T2 = T1 × (D2 ÷ D1)^1.06. The methodology page shows the derivation and the VDOT equations used alongside it.
Can I make a pace band for a custom distance?
Yes. Choose Custom distance, type it in miles or km, and press Make a pace band. The PDF has even splits per mile or per km to match your pace unit, with the final partial split sized to its real length. It is free, with no email address.