Free treadmill pace converter

This treadmill pace converter turns the speed on your treadmill console into running or walking pace, and turns a pace goal back into the speed to set. It works in mph and km/h, gives pace per mile and per kilometer, and shows how long a mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon would take at that speed.

Most US treadmills show speed in miles per hour. Most running plans, race results and watches talk in pace, such as “run at 9:30 per mile.” The two numbers describe the same thing from opposite sides, and the maths to switch between them is short. The sections below give the formula, a full treadmill pace chart, a km/h chart for UK and European machines, and the research on why treadmill running can feel a little different from the road.

How to use the treadmill pace converter

Pick what you already know, type it in, and the result updates as you type. There is no submit button.

1. Choose speed or pace. Pick “Speed” if you are reading the number off the treadmill. Pick “Pace” if you have a target pace from a plan or a race.
2. Choose your unit. Speed can be mph or km/h. Pace can be per mile or per kilometer.
3. Enter the number. For speed, type the console value, such as 6.5. For pace, type minutes and seconds in separate boxes, such as 9 and 30.
4. Read the result. The big number is your pace (or the speed to set). The line under it gives the other units. The table shows finish times for five common distances.

The page address updates with your numbers, so you can bookmark a result or send it to a training partner. Press Reset to clear everything.

The treadmill pace formula

Pace and speed are opposites. Speed is distance per hour. Pace is time per unit of distance. Because an hour has 60 minutes, you flip between them by dividing into 60.

• Pace (minutes per mile) = 60 ÷ speed in mph
• Speed (mph) = 60 ÷ pace in minutes per mile
• Pace (minutes per km) = 60 ÷ speed in km/h
• Speed (km/h) = mph × 1.609344

The number 1.609344 is not an estimate. The international mile is defined as exactly 1,609.344 meters, and NIST Handbook 44 lists one mile as 1.609344 kilometers (exactly). That is why the converter can give exact figures.

Worked example: 6.5 mph to pace

Say your treadmill reads 6.5 mph.

1. Divide 60 by 6.5. The answer is 9.2308 minutes per mile.
2. The whole number, 9, is the minutes.
3. Multiply the decimal by 60 to get seconds: 0.2308 × 60 = 13.8, which rounds to 14 seconds.
4. Your pace is 9:14 per mile.

For pace per kilometer, first convert speed: 6.5 × 1.609344 = 10.46 km/h. Then 60 ÷ 10.46 = 5.736 minutes, and 0.736 × 60 = 44 seconds. That is 5:44 per km.

Worked example: 9:00 per mile to treadmill speed

Now go the other way. Your plan says to run easy at 9:00 per mile.

1. Turn the pace into decimal minutes: 9 minutes and 0 seconds is 9.0.
2. Divide 60 by 9.0. The answer is 6.67 mph.
3. Most consoles step in 0.1 mph, so set 6.7 mph. That gives a pace of about 8:57 per mile, a hair quicker than the target.

If your pace has seconds, divide the seconds by 60 first. A 9:30 pace is 9.5 minutes, and 60 ÷ 9.5 = 6.32 mph.

Worked example: finish time at a set speed

To find how long a distance takes, divide the distance by the speed, then turn hours into minutes.

At 6 mph, a 5K (5 km) takes 5 ÷ (6 × 1.609344) = 0.5178 hours. Multiply by 60 to get 31.07 minutes, which is 31:04. The converter does this for you for every distance in its table.

Treadmill pace chart: mph to minutes per mile and km

This treadmill pace chart covers 2.0 to 12.0 mph in half-mile-per-hour steps. Find your console speed in the first column and read across for pace and 5K time. Times are rounded to the nearest second.

mph	Pace per mile	Pace per km	km/h	5K time
2.0	30:00	18:38	3.2	1:33:12
2.5	24:00	14:55	4.0	1:14:34
3.0	20:00	12:26	4.8	1:02:08
3.5	17:09	10:39	5.6	53:16
4.0	15:00	9:19	6.4	46:36
4.5	13:20	8:17	7.2	41:25
5.0	12:00	7:27	8.0	37:17
5.5	10:55	6:47	8.9	33:54
6.0	10:00	6:13	9.7	31:04
6.5	9:14	5:44	10.5	28:41
7.0	8:34	5:20	11.3	26:38
7.5	8:00	4:58	12.1	24:51
8.0	7:30	4:40	12.9	23:18
8.5	7:04	4:23	13.7	21:56
9.0	6:40	4:09	14.5	20:43
9.5	6:19	3:55	15.3	19:37
10.0	6:00	3:44	16.1	18:38
10.5	5:43	3:33	16.9	17:45
11.0	5:27	3:23	17.7	16:57
11.5	5:13	3:15	18.5	16:13
12.0	5:00	3:06	19.3	15:32

Two things stand out in the chart. First, each half-mph step changes your pace by a lot at low speeds and by only a little at high speeds. Going from 3.0 to 3.5 mph cuts almost three minutes off each mile. Going from 11.5 to 12.0 mph cuts 13 seconds. Second, whole-number speeds divide neatly into 60, so 5, 6, 7.5, 10 and 12 mph give round paces.

What pace is 6 mph on a treadmill?

6 mph is a 10:00 mile. It is also 9.7 km/h, or 6:13 per kilometer. It is a common speed for easy running because the maths is so clean: every 10 minutes on the belt is one mile.

How long does it take to run a mile at 5 mph?

Exactly 12 minutes. At 4 mph a mile takes 15 minutes, at 7 mph about 8:34, and at 8 mph 7:30.

Race finish times at common treadmill speeds

This table shows how long each race distance takes if you hold one speed from start to finish. The half marathon is 21.0975 km and the marathon is 42.195 km, the distances World Athletics uses (26 miles 385 yards for the full marathon).

Speed	1 mile	5K	10K	Half marathon	Marathon
4 mph	15:00	46:36	1:33:12	3:16:38	6:33:17
5 mph	12:00	37:17	1:14:34	2:37:19	5:14:38
6 mph	10:00	31:04	1:02:08	2:11:06	4:22:11
7 mph	8:34	26:38	53:16	1:52:22	3:44:44
8 mph	7:30	23:18	46:36	1:38:19	3:16:38
9 mph	6:40	20:43	41:25	1:27:24	2:54:48
10 mph	6:00	18:38	37:17	1:18:39	2:37:19

Real races rarely run at one flat speed. Hills, wind, turns and fatigue all change the pace. Use these times as a target, not a forecast.

What treadmill speed do I need for my goal time?

To find the speed for a goal, divide the distance by the goal time in hours. The table below does it for common targets. Round the mph up to the next 0.1 if you want a small buffer.

Goal	mph	km/h	Pace per mile	Pace per km
5K in 20:00	9.32	15.00	6:26	4:00
5K in 25:00	7.46	12.00	8:03	5:00
5K in 30:00	6.21	10.00	9:39	6:00
5K in 35:00	5.33	8.57	11:16	7:00
5K in 40:00	4.66	7.50	12:52	8:00
10K in 50:00	7.46	12.00	8:03	5:00
10K in 1:00:00	6.21	10.00	9:39	6:00
Half marathon in 2:00:00	6.55	10.55	9:09	5:41
Marathon in 4:00:00	6.55	10.55	9:09	5:41

Notice that a 2-hour half marathon and a 4-hour marathon need the same speed. That makes sense: the marathon is exactly twice as long, and you have twice as long to run it.

How to convert kph to mph (and back)

To convert kph to mph, divide by 1.609344. To convert mph to km/h, multiply by 1.609344. “Kph” and “km/h” mean the same thing: kilometers per hour.

• 8 km/h ÷ 1.609344 = 4.97 mph
• 10 km/h ÷ 1.609344 = 6.21 mph
• 12 km/h ÷ 1.609344 = 7.46 mph

For a quick check in your head, km/h × 0.6 gets close. It gives 6.0 mph for 10 km/h, which is only about 3% low. Use the exact number when you plan a race.

How to convert km/h to min per km

Divide 60 by the km/h. At 10 km/h, 60 ÷ 10 = 6, so the pace is 6:00 per km. At 12 km/h it is 5:00 per km. At 9 km/h it is 6.667 minutes, which is 6:40 per km.

Treadmill pace chart in km/h for UK and European treadmills

Many treadmills sold in the UK, Europe and Australia show km/h. Some can switch units in a settings menu, so check your manual before you convert by hand. This chart runs from 4 to 20 km/h in steps of 1.

km/h	Pace per km	Pace per mile	mph	5K time	10K time
4	15:00	24:08	2.5	1:15:00	2:30:00
5	12:00	19:19	3.1	1:00:00	2:00:00
6	10:00	16:06	3.7	50:00	1:40:00
7	8:34	13:48	4.3	42:51	1:25:43
8	7:30	12:04	5.0	37:30	1:15:00
9	6:40	10:44	5.6	33:20	1:06:40
10	6:00	9:39	6.2	30:00	1:00:00
11	5:27	8:47	6.8	27:16	54:33
12	5:00	8:03	7.5	25:00	50:00
13	4:37	7:26	8.1	23:05	46:09
14	4:17	6:54	8.7	21:26	42:51
15	4:00	6:26	9.3	20:00	40:00
16	3:45	6:02	9.9	18:45	37:30
17	3:32	5:41	10.6	17:39	35:18
18	3:20	5:22	11.2	16:40	33:20
19	3:09	5:05	11.8	15:47	31:35
20	3:00	4:50	12.4	15:00	30:00

The metric chart has a handy pattern. At 10 km/h you cover 10 km in one hour, so 5K takes 30 minutes. At 12 km/h, 5K takes 25 minutes. At 15 km/h, 5K takes 20 minutes.

Walking vs running speeds on a treadmill

There is no single line between walking and running, but research gives a useful range. Most people start to jog somewhere around 4.5 mph (about 7 to 7.5 km/h).

In a treadmill study of 20 young, healthy adults, Hreljac (1993) measured the speed at which people chose to switch from walking to running. The average was 2.06 meters per second, which is about 4.6 mph or 7.4 km/h. The speed that would have saved the most energy was a little higher, at 2.24 m/s (about 5.0 mph). Walking at the switch speed also felt harder than running at it. That explains why many people break into a jog before walking would stop making sense.

What is a good walking speed on a treadmill?

The CDC lists “walking briskly (2.5 miles per hour or faster)” as moderate-intensity activity. So any speed from 2.5 mph up counts as brisk for most adults. Many people settle between 3 and 4 mph, which is a 20:00 to 15:00 mile.

The CDC’s talk test is a simple way to check effort without a device. During moderate activity you can talk but not sing. During vigorous activity you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath.

What speed is jogging on a treadmill?

Jogging usually starts around 4.5 to 5 mph, which lines up with the walk-to-run switch in the Hreljac study. The CDC lists jogging and running as vigorous activity. Beyond that, “jogging” and “running” are not fixed speeds. One person’s easy jog is another person’s hard run.

Rough speed bands for the treadmill pace chart, based on the research above:

Activity	Typical mph	Typical km/h	What it is based on
Slow walk	Under 2.5	Under 4.0	Below the CDC brisk-walk mark
Brisk walk	2.5 to about 4.5	4.0 to about 7.2	CDC moderate activity; below the average walk-to-run switch
Jog or run	About 4.5 and up	About 7.2 and up	Above the average walk-to-run switch in Hreljac (1993)

Your own switch point may be higher or lower. Leg length, fitness and incline all change it.

Why treadmill pace can feel different from outdoor pace

Treadmill pace and outdoor pace are close, but they are not identical. The main reason is air. On a treadmill you are not moving through the air, so you do not have to push against it.

Jones and Doust (1996) put this to a test. Nine trained male runners ran at six speeds, from 2.92 to 5.0 meters per second (about 6.5 to 11.2 mph). They ran on a treadmill set to 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% grade, and on a flat road. The researchers measured oxygen use at each speed. They concluded that a 1% treadmill grade best matched the energy cost of flat outdoor running, over runs of about five minutes, across that speed range.

The details are worth knowing:

• At the two slowest speeds they tested (about 6.5 and 7.5 mph), road running was not significantly different from treadmill running at 0% or 1%.
• From about 8.4 to 10.2 mph, road running cost significantly more than 0% on the treadmill and was closest to 1%.
• At the top speed, about 11.2 mph, road running fell between the 1% and 2% results.
• The subjects were trained men who were used to treadmills, so results for other groups may vary.

Should I use a 1% incline on the treadmill?

For running, a 1% incline is a reasonable default if you want treadmill effort to match flat road running. It is the setting the Jones and Doust study supports. At walking speeds air resistance is small, so the study does not tell you much about walks, and many walkers leave the incline at zero or raise it for extra work.

This treadmill pace calculator does not adjust for incline. It converts the belt speed you enter. If you run at 1% and want a road pace to compare with, treat the 1% treadmill pace as roughly equal to your flat outdoor pace at that speed.

Does running form change on a treadmill?

Mostly no. A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis by Van Hooren and colleagues pooled 33 studies with 494 people. It found that most running mechanics were “largely comparable” between motorized treadmills and overground running. A few things did differ on the treadmill. Runners landed with a flatter foot angle, had slightly longer ground contact and bounced up and down a little less. None of that changes the conversion maths, but it can explain why the same pace feels a bit different.

Is my treadmill speed display accurate?

It may not be exact. Belt speed depends on the motor, the belt and how the machine is set up, and home treadmills are not lab equipment. If your watch, your perceived effort and the console disagree, that is normal. Use the console number with this converter for planning, and judge real progress by how the effort feels over weeks.

How to read and use your result

A pace number is only useful if it fits your plan. Here is how to act on what the converter shows.

• Easy runs: Many plans ask for easy running at a conversational effort. Use the CDC talk test as a check rather than chasing an exact number.
• Goal pace work: Find your target race pace in the goal table above, set the matching speed, and practise short blocks at it.
• Intervals: Convert both the fast and the recovery pace to speeds before you start, so you are not doing maths mid-rep.
• Walks: If you track steps rather than miles, pair this tool with our steps to miles calculator.
• Effort: To set speeds by heart rate instead of pace, use the heart rate zone calculator. For a simple 1 to 10 effort scale, see the RPE calculator.

Common mistakes when converting treadmill pace

Most errors come from mixing decimal minutes and seconds. Watch for these.

1. Reading 9.5 minutes as 9:50. A decimal of .5 means half a minute, which is 30 seconds. So 9.5 minutes is 9:30, not 9:50.
2. Mixing miles and kilometers. A 6:00 pace per km is much faster than a 6:00 pace per mile. Always note which one a plan uses.
3. Using 1.6 instead of 1.609344. The short version is fine for a quick check, but over a marathon it adds up to roughly a minute or more of error.
4. Treating “kph” as a different unit. Kph and km/h are the same thing.
5. Forgetting console rounding. Most treadmills step in 0.1. A target of 6.21 mph becomes 6.2 on the screen, which is slightly slower than planned.
6. Expecting race day to match. Treadmill finish times assume one steady speed. Courses, weather and crowds change that.

Accuracy limits: what this converter can and cannot tell you

The unit maths is exact. The outputs are only as accurate as the speed you enter and how steadily you hold it.

• It converts speed and pace. It does not predict race performance, fitness level or calories.
• It does not adjust for incline, wind, heat or altitude.
• It assumes the console reading is correct.
• It rounds pace and times to the nearest second, and speeds to one or two decimals.

We have left calorie estimates out on purpose. Calorie burn depends on body weight, incline and fitness, and a pace converter cannot give an honest single number for it.

How pace connects to your home treadmill

Pace goals shape which treadmill makes sense. If you plan to run at 9 or 10 mph, you need a machine whose top speed sits comfortably above that, a deck long enough for your stride, and a motor built for steady running. If you mostly walk at 3 to 4 mph, a compact treadmill or walking pad with a lower top speed may be all you need. Many walking pads are built for walking only, so check the maximum speed before you buy.

Our guide to the best treadmills compares top speed, incline range, deck size and folding designs from published specs and owner reports. For the floor under it, see our guides to gym mats and how thick gym flooring should be. If you are still planning the room, start with how to set up a home gym and our list of the best home gym equipment. Want low-impact cardio instead of running? Compare rowing machines and air bikes.

Treadmill safety

A treadmill is a moving machine, so a few habits matter. Consumer Reports cites CPSC figures of an estimated 22,500 treadmill injuries in 2019, about 2,000 of them in children under 8. Its safety advice includes:

• Clip on and use the safety key every time. If you fall, it stops the belt.
• Straddle the belt when you start the machine, then step on once it is moving slowly.
• Never step off a moving belt. Let it stop first.
• Keep your head up. Looking at your feet makes it easier to lose balance.
• Leave at least 2 feet of space on each side and 6 feet behind the treadmill.
• Store the safety key away from the machine and out of children’s reach.

Build up speed and incline gradually, especially if you are new to running. If you have a heart condition, joint problems or any doubt about your health, check with a doctor before you start a new training plan.