Calories Burned and Running Pace Calculator
See how many calories you burn walking, running, cycling and more. Turn a run into your pace, speed and split times, or predict your 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon times from one result.
Your result
Enter your numbers above to see the result.
Results are estimates for an average person and are not medical advice. Real calories burned vary with fitness, terrain, weather and technique.
Three things people want to know about exercise
How many calories did that walk, run or bike ride burn? How fast was I really going? And how quick could I be over a longer distance? This page answers all three with simple numbers and shows the working.
It is made for everyday use, whether you are planning a weight-loss routine, training for your first 10K, or just curious what a lap of the park is worth.
How to use this calculator
- Calories burned: choose an activity, enter how long you did it and your weight. You get the calories burned, the extra calories above resting, and a table that compares the same time spent on other activities.
- Running pace: enter how far you ran and how long it took. You get your pace per kilometre and per mile, your speed, the calories you burned, and the time at the end of every kilometre or mile.
- Race predictor: enter a recent race or hard run and the distance you want to predict. You get the predicted time and pace, plus a list for the other common distances.
The formulas, in simple form
Calories burned = MET × weight in kg × time in hours
Net calories = (MET − 1) × weight in kg × time in hours
Pace = time ÷ distance
Speed = distance ÷ time
Predicted time = known time × (new distance ÷ known distance)1.06
A MET is a number that tells you how hard an activity is compared with sitting quietly. Sitting is 1, a gentle walk is about 3.5, and running at a steady pace is around 10. The values here are typical figures for adults, taken from the widely used physical-activity tables. In the running tab, the MET is chosen from your actual speed, so a faster run counts for more.
Worked examples
Calories burned running
A 70 kg person runs for 30 minutes at about 6 mph (a 10-minute mile). The MET is 9.8, so calories burned = 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343. The net figure above resting is (9.8 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 308.
Running pace
You run 5 km in 30 minutes. Your pace is 30 ÷ 5 = 6:00 per kilometre, which is 9:39 per mile. Your speed is 5 ÷ 0.5 = 10 km/h. At that speed a 70 kg runner burns about 350 calories.
Race prediction
You ran a 5K in 25:00. The formula gives about 52:07 for 10K, 1:55:00 for a half marathon and 3:59:47 for a full marathon. The jump from 5K to the marathon is bigger than eight times the distance would suggest at a steady pace, because the pace slows over longer races.
Pace and finish time chart
Here is what a steady pace per kilometre means over the common race distances. Find your pace in the first column and read across.
| Pace per km | 5K | 10K | Half marathon | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 | 20:00 | 40:00 | 1:24:23 | 2:48:47 |
| 4:30 | 22:30 | 45:00 | 1:34:56 | 3:09:53 |
| 5:00 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:58 |
| 5:30 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 6:00 | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:30 | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
| 7:00 | 35:00 | 1:10:00 | 2:27:41 | 4:55:22 |
| 7:30 | 37:30 | 1:15:00 | 2:38:14 | 5:16:28 |
Why your watch may show a different number
Fitness watches use your heart rate, age and other details, so their numbers can differ from a simple formula. Gym machines are often too high, because they do not know your weight or fitness. No tool is exact. What matters is using the same method each time, so you can see real change from week to week.
Remember too that walking and running calories depend on your weight. A heavier person uses more energy to move the same distance. That is why the same run burns more for a 90 kg person than for a 60 kg person.
Does exercise alone cause weight loss?
Exercise helps, but food usually matters more. A 30-minute run burning about 340 calories can be undone by a single large snack. Most people see the best results by combining regular activity with a modest calorie target. To find your daily number, try the TDEE calculator, and to turn it into grams of protein, carbs and fat, use the macro calculator.
Common mistakes
- Picking the wrong effort level, such as choosing a hard swim for an easy one.
- Using total calories as if they were all extra. Part of that energy you would have used anyway.
- Entering distance in miles while the unit is set to kilometres, or the other way round.
- Predicting a marathon from a 5K without training the long distance.
- Entering minutes in the hours box, which makes the time sixty times too long.
This calculator is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition or are starting a new exercise plan, talk to your doctor first.
Frequently asked questions
How are calories burned worked out here?
The calculator uses a number called a MET, which is the effort of an activity compared with sitting still. Calories burned = MET × your weight in kilograms × the time in hours. For example, running at about 6 mph has a MET of 9.8, so a 70 kg person burns about 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 calories in 30 minutes.
Is the result exact?
No. It is a good estimate for an average person, not a measurement. Fitness, age, body composition, hills, wind and technique all change the real number, often by 10 to 20 percent or more. Use it to compare activities and plan, not as an exact count.
What does net calories mean?
The main result is the total your body uses during the activity, which includes the energy you would have used anyway just by being alive. Net calories take that resting amount away, using MET minus 1, and show only the extra energy the activity cost. Net is the fairer number if you are trying to work out how much extra you can eat.
How many calories does running burn per mile or kilometre?
As a rough guide, running burns around 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight for every kilometre, or about 1.6 per kilogram per mile. A 70 kg runner burns roughly 70 calories per km. The running tab works it out from your own distance, time and weight.
How is running pace calculated?
Pace is the time it takes to cover one kilometre or one mile. Divide your total time by your distance. A 5 km run in 30 minutes is 30 ÷ 5 = 6:00 per kilometre, which is about 9:39 per mile.
What are splits?
Splits are the time at the end of each kilometre or mile. The running tab shows them for an even pace, which means every kilometre or mile takes the same time. It is a handy plan for a race or a treadmill session.
How does the race predictor work?
It uses the Riegel formula: new time = old time × (new distance ÷ old distance) to the power of 1.06. The extra 0.06 reflects that most people slow down a little over longer distances. It works best for races between about 5 km and a marathon.
How accurate are the race predictions?
They assume you train properly for the longer distance. A fast 5 km does not guarantee the predicted marathon time, because the marathon needs weeks of long runs and fuelling practice. Treat the number as a ceiling for a well-prepared day, and expect to be slower if you are under-trained.
Which weight should I enter?
Your current body weight. You can switch between kilograms and pounds. If you carry a backpack or a weighted vest, add its weight, because you are moving that mass too.
Is anything I type stored or sent anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded or saved.
Related calculators
To estimate your daily calories, use the TDEE calculator or the BMR calculator. For the speed, distance and time of any trip, try the speed, distance and time calculator, and for how much to drink on active days, the water intake calculator.