Running Pace Calculator
Calculate your target pace, speed, or finish time for 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, or custom distances. Instantly converts between metric (min/km, km/h) and imperial (min/mile, mph).
Distances: World Athletics Technical Rules • 1 mile = 1.609344 km • Checked 24 Aug 2026Calculate Pace, Time or Distance
How running pace, speed & finish time are calculated
Running pace is the reciprocal of speed, expressed as the time needed to cover a fixed unit of distance. World Athletics sets international road distances in exact metric measurements.
Accuracy notes and race-day limits
Official racecourses are measured along the shortest possible route (the “tangent line”). Most runners weave around other participants and take wider corners, meaning a GPS watch typically records 1–2% more distance (e.g. 42.6 km instead of 42.195 km). Aiming for 2–3 seconds per kilometer faster than your arithmetic target pace ensures you hit your official chip finish time.
Worked example: 10K at 45:00 finish time
Target: 10.0 kilometres in 45 minutes 00 seconds (2,700 total seconds):
- Pace per km:
2700 / 10 / 60 = 270 seconds = 4 minutes 30 seconds /km (4:30/km) - Speed:
10 km / 0.75 hours = 13.33 km/h - Convert to miles:
10 km / 1.609344 = 6.2137 miles - Pace per mile:
2700 / 6.2137 = 434.5 seconds = 7 minutes 14.5 seconds /mile (7:15/mile) - Speed in mph:
13.33 / 1.609344 = 8.29 mph
Standard distance finish times by pace
Use this crawlable pace chart to look up standard target finish times:
| Pace (min/km) | Pace (min/mi) | 5K (5.00 km) | 10K (10.00 km) | Half Marathon (21.10 km) | Marathon (42.20 km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:30 /km | 5:38 /mi | 17:30 | 35:00 | 1:13:50 | 2:27:41 |
| 4:00 /km | 6:26 /mi | 20:00 | 40:00 | 1:24:23 | 2:48:47 |
| 4:30 /km | 7:15 /mi | 22:30 | 45:00 | 1:34:56 | 3:09:53 |
| 5:00 /km | 8:03 /mi | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:59 |
| 5:30 /km | 8:51 /mi | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 6:00 /km | 9:39 /mi | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:30 /km | 10:28 /mi | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
Target paces for popular goal times
The chart above goes from pace to finish time; most runners want the reverse — the pace a goal demands. Here are the common ones, with a detail worth remembering: a sub-4-hour marathon and a sub-2-hour half need the same pace, so the half is a natural checkpoint on the way to the marathon.
| Goal | Pace /km | Pace /mile | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5K in 25:00 | 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.0 km/h |
| 5K in 22:30 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 13.3 km/h |
| 10K in 50:00 | 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.0 km/h |
| 10K in 45:00 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 13.3 km/h |
| Half in 2:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 10.6 km/h |
| Half in 1:45:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 | 12.1 km/h |
| Marathon in 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 10.6 km/h |
| Marathon in 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 | 12.1 km/h |
Related running calculators
Race Time Predictor (Riegel)
Predict your Marathon or Half Marathon finish time from your recent 5K or 10K race result.
WMA Age Grading Calculator
Compare your running times across ages and sexes against World Masters Athletics standards.
Frequently asked questions
What pace do I need for a 4-hour marathon?
A 4:00:00 marathon needs 5:41 per kilometre (9:09 per mile), or 10.55 km/h. It is the same pace as a sub-2-hour half marathon, so a 2-hour half is a good stepping-stone check.
Is running pace the same as speed?
They are reciprocals. Pace is time per unit distance (min/km or min/mile); speed is distance per unit time (km/h or mph). A 5:00/km pace is the same effort as 12.0 km/h.
What is a good running pace?
It depends on distance and experience, but as a reference a 5:00/km (8:03/mile) pace gives a 25-minute 5K, a 50-minute 10K and a sub-2-hour half. Recreational runners commonly sit between 5:30 and 6:30 per kilometre.
What is the exact distance of a marathon?
Exactly 42.195 kilometres — 26 miles and 385 yards (about 26.219 miles). A half marathon is exactly half that, 21.0975 km.
How do I convert min/km to min/mile in my head?
Multiply your min/km by about 1.61 (or add 60%): 5:00/km ≈ 8:03/mile. To go the other way, divide the min/mile pace by 1.61.
Sources
- World Athletics — Competition and Technical Rules — official road-race distances (5K, 10K, half marathon 21.0975 km, marathon 42.195 km). Checked 24 Aug 2026.
- Pace, speed and finish-time conversions use the exact factor 1 mile = 1.609344 km; all chart and goal-pace values were computed by ScoreIndexer.