Running Pace Calculator
Pick 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, a mile or a custom distance, then get pace, speed and finish time from any two of the three, plus a full per-mile or per-km split table for race day.
Finish time
24:51
Pace per mile
8:00
Pace per km
4:58
Speed
7.50 mph
12.07 km/h
Split table
| Mile | Split | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:00 | 8:00 |
| 2 | 8:00 | 16:00 |
| 3 | 8:00 | 24:00 |
| Finish (3.11) | 0:51 | 24:51 |
Worked example: 5K at an 8:00/mile goal pace
These are the calculator's own default inputs -- distance 5K, goal pace 8:00 per mile, solving for finish time -- traced step by step.
- Pace to seconds per km. 8:00/mi = 480 s/mi; ÷ 1.609344 = 298.26 s/km (4:58/km).
- Finish time = pace × distance. 298.26 s/km × 5 km = 1491.3 s = 24:51.
- Speed. 3600 ÷ 298.26 = 12.07 km/h = 7.50 mph.
Mile splits at that pace: 8:00, 8:00, 8:00, finish 0:51 -- three even 8:00 miles then a 0:51 finishing segment for the last 0.11 mile, cumulative 24:51. Per km it's five even 4:58 splits, cumulative 24:51 at the finish -- the same 24:51 either way.
How it's calculated
- Pace = time ÷ distance. Solves for pace when you know how long a distance took.
- Time = pace × distance. This is the "goal pace to finish time" mode: pick a distance and a goal pace, get the time it produces.
- Distance = time ÷ pace. How far a given pace covers in a given time.
- Speed = 60 ÷ pace in minutes. Pace and speed describe the same rate; the calculator accepts a speed (mph or km/h) anywhere it accepts a pace, and always shows both.
- 1 mile = 1.609344 km exactly -- the international mile, fixed by treaty in 1959 -- is the only conversion constant involved; every mi/km figure on this page derives from it.
- Splits divide the chosen distance into equal 1-mile or 1-km segments at the single solved pace -- even splits, not a pacing strategy.
Goal pace to finish time, five distances at once
Each row is a goal pace per mile; read across for the finish time it produces at each preset distance.
| min/mi | min/km | mph | 1 mile | 5K | 10K | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | 4:21 | 8.6 | 7:00 | 21:45 | 43:30 | 1:31:46 | 3:03:32 |
| 8:00 | 4:58 | 7.5 | 8:00 | 24:51 | 49:43 | 1:44:53 | 3:29:45 |
| 9:00 | 5:36 | 6.7 | 9:00 | 27:58 | 55:55 | 1:57:59 | 3:55:58 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 6.0 | 10:00 | 31:04 | 1:02:08 | 2:11:06 | 4:22:11 |
Two nearby tools, and when to use each
This site also has a general pace calculator and a race time predictor, and it's worth being clear on the difference rather than leaving you to guess:
- vs. the pace calculator: that page solves the same pace/time/distance triangle for any distance you type in, with no split table and no speed-as-input option. This page is built around the five race distances people actually train for, defaults to the goal-pace-to-finish-time question, and always produces the split table alongside the result.
- vs. the race time predictor: that page estimates what you're capable of at a different distance from a race you've actually run, using the Riegel formula and Daniels VDOT. This page does no estimating -- it's the exact arithmetic of a pace and distance you choose yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does 'finish time from goal pace' actually work?
It's the second of the three pace equations, no more: finish time = goal pace × distance, once both are in the same unit. Pick 8:00/mile for a 5K and the calculator does 8:00 × 5,000 m ÷ 1,609.344 m/mi = 8:00 × 3.10686 = 24:51 -- the same number you'd get multiplying it out by hand, just without the unit conversion to trip over.
Why does the result show speed (mph/kph) even though I entered a pace?
Pace and speed are the same rate written two ways -- speed = 60 ÷ pace in minutes -- so once one is known the other comes for free. It's shown because a lot of runners think in pace on the road and speed on a treadmill, and translating between them by hand is where mistakes creep in.
Are the splits even, or does the pace change through the race?
Even. The split table here divides the distance into equal per-mile or per-km segments at one constant pace, which matches how most people plan a goal-pace race. If you want a deliberate negative split -- second half faster than the first -- the running split calculator on this site adds that slider on top of the same split math.
How is this different from the plain pace calculator?
The pace calculator is the bare pace/time/distance solve for any distance you type in. This page is built around race distances specifically: it defaults to solving finish time from a goal pace, lets you enter speed as an alternative to pace, and always shows the per-mile or per-km split table alongside the result -- the parts a 'running pace calculator' search usually wants that a general pace tool doesn't lead with.
How is this different from the race time predictor?
This page does direct arithmetic at the distance and pace you choose -- no assumption about your fitness. The race time predictor instead takes one race you've actually run and uses the Riegel formula and the Daniels VDOT model to estimate what you could run at a different distance. Use this page to plan a specific goal pace; use that one to find out whether the goal pace is realistic.
These calculators use published exercise-science formulas and are for training guidance. They are estimates, not medical advice: if you have a heart condition or are starting exercise after a long break, talk to a doctor before training by heart rate or pace targets.