Pace ↔ speed converter

Go from min/km to km/h, and instantly get reference times for 5K, 10K, half and marathon.

How to switch from one to the other

The conversion is simple, but often mentally tedious while running. Here is the reference formula:

Speed (km/h) = 60 ÷ pace (min/km)

Pace (min/km) = 60 ÷ speed (km/h)

Example: 12 km/h = 60/12 = 5 min/km. Conversely, 6:00/km = 60/6 = 10 km/h.

Equivalences to remember

8 km/h = 7:30 min/km (beginner jogging)
10 km/h = 6:00 min/km (classic jogging)
12 km/h = 5:00 min/km (steady jogging / semi-beginner pace)
14 km/h = 4:17 min/km (10K leisure runner pace)
16 km/h = 3:45 min/km (5K amateur competitor pace)
18 km/h = 3:20 min/km (competitor VMA)
20 km/h = 3:00 min/km (national level)
21 km/h = 2:51 min/km (marathon world record ~2h00)

Why talk in pace (min/km) rather than speed

The pace is more intuitive for planning a race. For a 4:00 marathon, you instantly know to run at 5:41/km. Running coaches think almost exclusively in terms of pace.

Speed (km/h) is used mainly for VMA tests (in km/h on treadmill) and sessions calibrated in % of VMA.

Reference time (to be memorized)

Marathon

3h00: 4:16/km
3h30: 4:59/km
4h00: 5:41/km
4h30: 6:24/km
5h00: 7:07/km

Half marathon

1h30: 4:16/km
1h45: 4:58/km
2h00: 5:41/km
2h15: 6:24/km

10 km

40:00: 4:00/km
45:00: 4:30/km
50:00: 5:00/km
55:00: 5:30/km
1h00: 6:00/km

À consulter aussi

Calcul VMA Connaître votre vitesse plafond Prédiction de chrono Projeter vos chronos Zones cardiaques Calibrage par FC Calories brûlées Dépense par km

Questions fréquentes

A GPS watch gives it in real time. Without a watch, take your time over benchmark distances (marked km, 400 m laps). 400 m in 2:00 = 5:00/km = 12 km/h.

Five main reasons: elevation, wind, fatigue, surface (track vs trail), GPS error. Do not rely on the instantaneous pace but on the average pace over 1-2 km.

In Anglo-Saxon, pace is in min/mile. 1 mile = 1,609 km. So 6:00/mile = 6:00 / 1.609 = 3:43/km. A speed in mph is multiplied by 1.609 to get km/h.

Often a gap: we feel like we are at 5:00/km but we are actually running at 5:20/km. Going out with a GPS watch for 4-6 weeks helps calibrate your sensations. Essential to properly manage a race.