Convert distance and finish time into pace per kilometer, pace per mile and average running speed.
This calculator performs pace and unit arithmetic. The 5K and 10K times shown assume you could hold the same pace over those distances; they are not physiological race predictions.
Running pace is simply your total time divided by the distance you covered. It is the reciprocal of speed: pace tells you how long each mile or kilometer takes, while speed tells you how far you go in an hour. Both describe the same run — runners just tend to think in pace ("I ran 8-minute miles") and the conversion between the two is straightforward.
Pace per mile = Total time (minutes) ÷ Distance (miles)
Pace per kilometer = Total time (minutes) ÷ Distance (km)
Speed (mph) = 60 ÷ Pace per mile (min/mile) | Speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ Pace per km (min/km)
Pace per mile = 40 ÷ 5 = 8:00 per mile. Five miles is 8.05 km, so pace per km = 40 ÷ 8.05 = 4:58 per km. Speed = 5 miles ÷ (40/60 hours) = 7.5 mph, or 12.07 km/h. At that same steady pace, a 5K (3.11 miles) would take 24:51 and a 10K (6.21 miles) would take 49:43 — the calculator shows both projections.
Pace per km = 55 ÷ 10 = 5:30 per km. A 10K is 6.21 miles, so pace per mile = 55 ÷ 6.21 = 8:51 per mile. Speed = 10 km ÷ (55/60 hours) = 10.91 km/h (6.78 mph). A 5K at the same pace would take 27:30.
Use this table to translate a target pace into race finish times — or work backward from a goal finish time to the pace you need to hold.
| Pace per Mile | Pace per Km | 5K Time | 10K Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | 4:21 | 21:45 | 43:30 |
| 8:00 | 4:58 | 24:51 | 49:43 |
| 9:00 | 5:35 | 27:58 | 55:55 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 31:04 | 62:08 |
| 11:00 | 6:50 | 34:11 | 68:21 |
| 12:00 | 7:27 | 37:17 | 74:34 |
Set a race goal. Pick a target finish time, convert it to a pace with the calculator, and train at or near that pace in tempo runs so race day feels familiar. Run easy days truly easy. Most training plans put easy runs 1–2 minutes per mile slower than race pace — if your 5K pace is 8:00 per mile, easy runs around 9:30–10:00 per mile are not "too slow," they are the point. Use negative splits. Starting a touch slower than goal pace and finishing faster is the most reliable way to a personal best, because it keeps you from paying for an over-eager first mile later. Compare treadmill and road carefully. A treadmill's belt and lack of wind resistance make the same numerical pace feel easier indoors; many runners set the treadmill to a 1% incline to close the gap.
Pace is better for race planning, because races are fixed distances — "hold 8:00 miles" maps directly to a finish time. Speed is better for intervals and treadmill work, where the display shows mph or km/h. Convert freely: a 7:30-per-mile pace is 8.0 mph, and a 6:00-per-km pace is 10.0 km/h. The key insight is that small pace changes matter a lot: shaving 15 seconds per mile off an 8:00 pace saves about 1:17 over a 5K and 2:34 over a 10K.
Further reading: the Road Runners Club of America publishes training and race-day guidance for runners of all levels. This page is for general information only and is not coaching advice.
Maintained by Live Fitness Check. Last updated: August 13, 2026. How we test our calculators .
Pace is total elapsed time divided by distance. The calculator displays that value as minutes and seconds per kilometer and per mile.
Pace describes time required to cover a unit of distance, while speed describes distance covered per unit of time.
No. They are simple same-pace equivalents and do not account for fatigue, endurance, terrain, weather or training status.
