Short answer
Pace per mile is 60 divided by your speed in mph, and pace per kilometer is 60 divided by km/h. So 6.0 mph is 9.66 km/h, a 10:00 mile and 6:13 per kilometer. Use the converter below for any speed, and set about 1% incline to match outdoor running effort.
Key takeaways
- Minutes per mile = 60 ÷ mph; minutes per km = 60 ÷ km/h.
- km/h = mph × 1.609344.
- A 1% incline roughly offsets the missing air resistance at running speeds.
- The ACSM equations estimate how much incline adds to the oxygen cost of walking and running.
Most treadmills in the US show speed in mph, while training plans, race goals and running watches often use pace per mile or per kilometer. Converting in your head mid-run is where mistakes happen.
Type a value in any box and the converter fills in the others, with 5K and 10K finish times. The incline section shows how a grade changes the estimated effort, using the 1% rule and the ACSM metabolic equations.
Treadmill Pace Converter
5K and 10K finish times at this speed
Type in any box; the other three update. Paces accept 8:30 or 8.5.
Incline equivalent
estimated METs (ACSM equation)
How the Conversion Works
Speed and pace are the same information written two ways. Because an hour has 60 minutes, pace in minutes per mile is 60 divided by mph. One mile is exactly 1.609344 km, so km/h is mph × 1.609344, and minutes per km is 60 divided by km/h.
The decimal part of a pace is a fraction of a minute, not seconds. 8.57 minutes is 8:34 (0.57 × 60 = 34 seconds), not 8:57. The converter rounds to the nearest second. For the full set of walking and race tables, see our treadmill pace chart.
- 6.0 mph = 9.66 km/h = 10:00 per mile = 6:13 per km
- 7.5 mph = 12.07 km/h = 8:00 per mile = 4:58 per km
- 10.0 mph = 16.09 km/h = 6:00 per mile = 3:44 per km
How the Incline Equivalent Works
The 1% rule comes from a 1996 study of trained runners, which found that a 1% treadmill grade best matched the energy cost of running outdoors at speeds of about 6.5 to 11.2 mph. On a belt there is no air resistance, and 1% of grade roughly replaces it. Below those speeds air resistance is small, so the converter only applies the rule at running speeds.
The METs and oxygen cost come from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) metabolic equations, where S is speed in meters per minute (mph × 26.8224) and G is the grade as a decimal (5% = 0.05). The result is VO2 in ml/kg/min, and 1 MET is 3.5 ml/kg/min.
These are population estimates for steady effort on a treadmill. Your own cost depends on fitness, body size, running economy and holding the handrails, which lowers it. Use the numbers to compare workouts with each other, not as a measurement of you. Read more on picking speeds and grades in our guides to a good treadmill speed and a good treadmill incline.
- Walking (about 1.9 to 3.7 mph): VO2 = 0.1 × S + 1.8 × S × G + 3.5
- Running (above 5 mph, or slower true jogging): VO2 = 0.2 × S + 0.9 × S × G + 3.5
- METs: VO2 ÷ 3.5
- Automatic mode: uses the walking equation below 4 mph and the running equation from 4 mph up; pick one yourself if you walk fast or jog slowly.
Treadmill Pace Chart: 5.0 to 10.0 mph
This chart covers the most common jogging and running speeds in 0.5 mph steps, with the finish time if you held that speed for a 5K (3.107 miles) or 10K (6.214 miles).
| Speed (mph) | Speed (km/h) | Pace per mile | Pace per km | 5K time | 10K time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 8.0 | 12:00 | 7:27 | 37:17 | 1:14:34 |
| 5.5 | 8.9 | 10:55 | 6:47 | 33:54 | 1:07:47 |
| 6.0 | 9.7 | 10:00 | 6:13 | 31:04 | 1:02:08 |
| 6.5 | 10.5 | 9:14 | 5:44 | 28:41 | 57:21 |
| 7.0 | 11.3 | 8:34 | 5:20 | 26:38 | 53:16 |
| 7.5 | 12.1 | 8:00 | 4:58 | 24:51 | 49:43 |
| 8.0 | 12.9 | 7:30 | 4:40 | 23:18 | 46:36 |
| 8.5 | 13.7 | 7:04 | 4:23 | 21:56 | 43:52 |
| 9.0 | 14.5 | 6:40 | 4:09 | 20:43 | 41:25 |
| 9.5 | 15.3 | 6:19 | 3:55 | 19:37 | 39:15 |
| 10.0 | 16.1 | 6:00 | 3:44 | 18:38 | 37:17 |
Tips for Training by Pace on a Treadmill
- Use 1% for steady runs when you want outdoor-like effort, and judge hill sessions by effort or heart rate, since incline does not change pace.
- Round to the console. Most treadmills adjust in 0.1 mph steps; a 7:00 mile is 8.57 mph, so 8.6 runs slightly fast.
- Check top speed. A 6:00 mile needs 10 mph; many walking pads stop at 4 to 6 mph.
- Expect small gaps with your watch. Indoor watch pace is an estimate from wrist motion; the belt speed is usually closer for a calibrated treadmill.
Link to This Converter
You are welcome to link to this converter from your site, plan or forum post. Copy the code below.
Checklist Before You Buy
- Decide whether your plan uses pace per mile or per km.
- Convert goal paces to mph before the session.
- Set 1% incline for steady outdoor-equivalent runs.
- Confirm your treadmill reaches your fastest interval speed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Reading 8.57 minutes as 8:57 instead of 8:34.
- Expecting incline to change pace.
- Treating METs estimates as exact personal measurements.
- Holding the handrails and comparing the effort with outdoor runs.
The Bottom Line
- Converts mph, km/h, minutes per mile and minutes per km both ways.
- Shows 5K and 10K finish times for any speed.
- Estimates the effect of incline with the ACSM walking and running equations.
- Free to use and to link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide 60 by your speed in mph. At 6.0 mph, 60 ÷ 6 = 10, so the pace is 10:00 per mile.
About 6:13 per km. 6.0 mph is 9.66 km/h, and 60 ÷ 9.66 = 6.21 minutes.
Divide km/h by 1.609344. For example, 10 km/h is about 6.2 mph.
At running speeds, 1% roughly makes up for the lack of air resistance, so it is a sensible default for steady runs. At walking speeds it matters little.
They come from the ACSM equations, which are population estimates for steady effort. Your own value can be higher or lower.
An 8:00 mile, or about 4:58 per km. A 5K at that speed takes about 24:51.
