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Pace to Speed Calculator

Convert running pace to speed.

How it is calculated

Pace is the time for one kilometre, so speed is its reciprocal: speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ pace, where pace is in decimal minutes per kilometre. Miles per hour follow from mph = km/h × 0.621371. The pace must be a plain number above zero; zero, negative values and text such as 5:30 give no result. Because pace is decimal, the part after the point is a fraction of a minute, not seconds: 5.5 means 5 minutes 30 seconds, and 5.30 means 5 minutes 18 seconds. Results are rounded to two decimals. The tool works in kilometres only; it does not accept pace per mile.

Worked example

A runner holds 5 minutes 30 seconds per kilometre. Convert the seconds to a fraction of a minute: 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5, so the pace is 5.5. Speed: 60 ÷ 5.5 = 10.91 km/h. In miles per hour: 10.91 × 0.621371 = 6.78 mph. This is the value you would set on a treadmill that shows speed instead of pace.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Typing 5.30 for 5:30. The decimal 5.30 means 5 minutes 18 seconds; enter 5.5.
  • Entering the pace per mile. The tool expects minutes per kilometre, so a mile pace must be divided by 1.609 first.
  • Entering the colon format 5:30 and getting no result. Convert to decimal minutes.
  • Averaging paces of different splits and converting the average. Average the speeds, or the total time over the total distance.
  • Assuming equal pace steps mean equal speed steps. Going from 6.0 to 5.0 min/km adds 2 km/h, while 5.0 to 4.0 adds 3 km/h.

About this calculator

This calculator converts running pace to speed using the reciprocal relationship speed = 60 / pace, where pace is entered in minutes per kilometer and speed comes out in km/h (with an mph conversion alongside). Because pace measures time per unit distance and speed measures distance per unit time, the two are inverses of each other, which is why a small change in pace near fast paces translates into a bigger jump in speed than the same change at slow paces.

Runners use this conversion to translate a GPS watch's pace reading into a treadmill speed setting, to convert race split times into a target treadmill pace, and to compare training paces against speed-based training plans. Coaches setting interval workouts on a treadmill, where speed rather than pace is the input, rely on the same formula to hit a specific target time.

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    To get the pace from a race goal, divide the finish time in minutes by the distance in kilometres, then enter that number. A 25-minute 5K is 25 ÷ 5 = 5.0 minutes per kilometre, which the tool turns into 12.00 km/h on a treadmill. Remember that the treadmill display and your watch can each be a little off, so check a known distance once. Do you plan workouts by pace or by speed? Say which you prefer.

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