About the Treadmill Pace Calculator
Treadmills show speed — miles per hour or kilometres per hour — but runners think in pace: minutes per mile or per kilometre. This treadmill pace calculator converts the number on the console into the pace you would run outdoors, and shows how long a mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon would take at that speed.
Use it to set the belt for a tempo run or interval session from a training plan written in pace, to find the speed that matches your goal race pace, or to work out the time for a custom distance. The conversion table lists paces for every half-step of speed so you can jump between intervals without doing mental arithmetic mid-run.
The conversion is exact maths (1 mile = 1.609344 km), but treadmill calibration is not always perfect and running on a belt with no wind resistance is slightly easier than running outside. Many runners set a 1% incline to better match outdoor effort; see the treadmill incline calculator for the effect of grade.
How to use the treadmill pace calculator
- 1Enter the speed shown on the treadmill console.
- 2Choose whether that speed is in mph or km/h.
- 3Pick a race distance or enter a custom distance for a finish time.
- 4Read the pace per mile and per km.
- 5Use the chart table to pick belt speeds for intervals.
Formula and method
Pace is the inverse of speed. At 6 mph you cover a mile every 60 ÷ 6 = 10 minutes; at 12 km/h you cover a kilometre every 60 ÷ 12 = 5 minutes. The calculator converts the treadmill speed to metres per second, then divides 1,609.344 m (one mile) or 1,000 m by that speed to get seconds per mile or kilometre, shown as minutes:seconds.
Finish times divide the race distance by speed using official lengths (5K = 5,000 m, half marathon = 21,097.5 m, marathon = 42,195 m). Results assume a constant belt speed and a correctly calibrated treadmill.
- mph
- Treadmill speed in miles per hour
- km/h
- Treadmill speed in kilometres per hour
- Pace
- Time to cover one mile or one kilometre
Worked examples
6.0 mph and a 5K
At 6 mph each mile takes 60 ÷ 6 = 10:00, which is 6:13 per km. A 5K is 3.107 miles, so it takes 3.107 × 10 minutes ≈ 31:04.
10 km/h for a 10K
10 km/h is 6:00 per kilometre, so 10 km takes exactly one hour. 10 km/h equals 6.21 mph, a 9:39 per-mile pace.
8.5 mph marathon pace
60 ÷ 8.5 = 7.06 minutes, or 7:04 per mile. Holding it for 26.219 miles takes 26.219 ÷ 8.5 = 3.085 hours, a 3:05:04 marathon.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert mph to minutes per mile?+
Divide 60 by the speed in mph. For example 7.5 mph gives 60 ÷ 7.5 = 8 minutes per mile, and 5 mph gives 12 minutes per mile. For km/h, divide 60 by the speed to get minutes per kilometre.
What treadmill speed is a 10-minute mile?+
A 10:00 mile is exactly 6.0 mph, or 9.66 km/h. An 8:00 mile is 7.5 mph, a 9:00 mile is about 6.7 mph and a 12:00 mile (a brisk jog or fast walk) is 5.0 mph.
Is running on a treadmill easier than outside?+
Slightly, at faster speeds, because there is no air resistance to push through. Research by Jones and Doust found that a 1% incline makes treadmill running roughly match the energy cost of flat outdoor running at typical training speeds.
Why does my watch disagree with the treadmill?+
Wrist GPS does not work indoors, so watches estimate distance from arm swing or cadence, which can be off by several percent. Treadmills can also drift out of calibration. A footpod calibrated on a track is usually the most consistent indoor measure.