Health & Body Tables
Running Pace Conversion Table
Pace is time divided by distance, and it is the number runners actually train with — but it is also the one that causes the most arithmetic errors, because pace and speed run in opposite directions. A pace of 5:00 per kilometre is 12 km/h; a pace of 6:00 is 10 km/h. The pace went up by one minute, but the speed went down, and the relationship between the two is a reciprocal rather than a straight line.
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That reciprocal relationship is why the intuition fails at the fast end. Improving from 6:00 to 5:30 per kilometre is a 9% improvement in pace but a 9% improvement in speed too, because the change is small. Improving from 5:00 to 4:30 is a 10% pace gain but an 11% speed gain. Only when the numbers get small does the difference become dramatic: going from 12:00 to 6:00 halves the pace and doubles the speed.
The mile conversion is a single multiplication. One mile is 1.609344 km, so a 5:00 per kilometre pace is 8:03 per mile. The reverse is a division, and both directions are exact — there is no rounding convention that makes the numbers agree, which is why race results in miles and kilometres never quite line up when converted back and forth by hand.
The finish-time tables assume even pacing, which almost nobody achieves. Most marathoners slow by 5 to 10% over the second half, and the slowdown is larger in hot conditions and on hilly courses. A 6:00 per kilometre target that looks like 4:13 on paper usually lands somewhere between 4:15 and 4:25, and planning for the paper number is how people blow up at 32 km.
Pace per kilometre, speed and finish times
| Pace /km | Speed (km/h) | Pace /mile | 5 km | 10 km | Half | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 | 15.00 | 6:26 | 20:00 | 40:00 | 84:23 | 168:47 |
| 4:30 | 13.33 | 7:15 | 22:30 | 45:00 | 94:56 | 189:53 |
| 5:00 | 12.00 | 8:03 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 105:29 | 210:58 |
| 5:30 | 10.91 | 8:51 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 116:02 | 232:04 |
| 6:00 | 10.00 | 9:39 | 30:00 | 60:00 | 126:35 | 253:10 |
| 6:30 | 9.23 | 10:28 | 32:30 | 65:00 | 137:08 | 274:16 |
| 7:00 | 8.57 | 11:16 | 35:00 | 70:00 | 147:41 | 295:22 |
| 7:30 | 8.00 | 12:04 | 37:30 | 75:00 | 158:14 | 316:28 |
| 8:00 | 7.50 | 12:52 | 40:00 | 80:00 | 168:47 | 337:34 |
| 8:30 | 7.06 | 13:41 | 42:30 | 85:00 | 179:20 | 358:39 |
| 9:00 | 6.67 | 14:29 | 45:00 | 90:00 | 189:53 | 379:45 |
| 9:30 | 6.32 | 15:17 | 47:30 | 95:00 | 200:26 | 400:51 |
| 10:00 | 6.00 | 16:06 | 50:00 | 100:00 | 210:58 | 421:57 |
| 11:00 | 5.45 | 17:42 | 55:00 | 110:00 | 232:04 | 464:09 |
| 12:00 | 5.00 | 19:19 | 60:00 | 120:00 | 253:10 | 506:20 |
Pace and speed are reciprocals. Going from 6:00 to 5:00 per kilometre raises speed from 10.00 to 12.00 km/h, a 20% gain, not a 17% one — the mistake comes from treating pace as if it were speed.
Finish time for each distance at a steady pace
| Distance | At 5:00 /km | At 5:30 /km | At 6:00 /km | At 6:30 /km | At 7:00 /km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 25:00 | 27:30 | 30:00 | 32:30 | 35:00 |
| 10 km | 50:00 | 55:00 | 60:00 | 65:00 | 70:00 |
| Half marathon | 105:29 | 116:02 | 126:35 | 137:08 | 147:41 |
| Marathon | 210:58 | 232:04 | 253:10 | 274:16 | 295:22 |
The table assumes even pacing. Most runners slow by 5 to 10% in the second half of a marathon, which is why a 6:00/km target often finishes nearer 4:20 than 4:13.
The pace each common goal requires
| Goal | Pace /km | Pace /mile | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km under 20:00 | 4:00 | 6:26 | 15.00 |
| 5 km under 25:00 | 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.00 |
| 10 km under 45:00 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 13.33 |
| 10 km under 50:00 | 5:00 | 8:03 | 12.00 |
| Half under 1:45 | 4:59 | 8:01 | 12.06 |
| Half under 2:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 10.55 |
| Marathon under 3:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 | 14.07 |
| Marathon under 3:30 | 4:59 | 8:01 | 12.06 |
| Marathon under 4:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 10.55 |
A sub-4 marathon is 5:41 per kilometre, which feels comfortable for the first 30 km and is not. A sub-3 marathon is 4:15, which most runners cannot hold for a half.
How to Use These Tables
- Converting to miles: multiply the kilometre pace by 1.609344. 5:00 per km is 8:03 per mile, because 5 × 1.609344 = 8.047.
- Converting to speed: divide 60 by the pace in minutes. 5:30 per kilometre is 10.91 km/h.
- Predicting a finish: multiply the pace by the distance. A 5:45 per kilometre pace gives 4:02:34 for a marathon.
- Working backwards from a goal: divide the target time by the distance. A sub-1:45 half needs 4:58 per kilometre.
- Converting a race result: divide the total time by the distance. A 48:30 10 km is 4:51 per kilometre, or 7:48 per mile.
Common Questions
Is a 5:00 pace fast?
It is 12 km/h, which is a solid recreational pace — roughly a 3:31 marathon and a 1:45 half. Whether it is fast depends on the runner and the distance, but it is well above the average finisher.
How do I convert min/km to min/mile?
Multiply by 1.609344. A 6:00 per kilometre pace is 9:39 per mile, and a 9:00 per mile pace is 5:36 per kilometre.
Why is pace not proportional to speed?
Because speed is 60 divided by pace. Doubling the speed halves the pace, but adding a minute to the pace does not subtract a fixed amount from the speed — the relationship is a reciprocal curve.
What pace do I need for a sub-4 marathon?
5:41 per kilometre, or 9:09 per mile. It is a common goal and a common place to fall short, because it requires holding that pace for 42 km rather than 21.
Does treadmill pace match outdoor pace?
Not exactly. A treadmill has no wind resistance, so the same pace feels easier indoors, and most runners set the belt 1 to 2% higher to compensate.
What is a good half marathon time?
The median finisher is around 2:00 to 2:15 depending on the race and country. Under 1:45 is a strong recreational result and under 1:30 is competitive at local level.
More Health & Body Tables
Sources
- World Athletics — official race distances and records — World Athletics
- IAAF Competition Rules — road race distances — World Athletics
- ACSM — guidelines for exercise testing and prescription, pace and intensity — American College of Sports Medicine
Filed with Health calculations.