Whether you’re chasing your first sub-30 5K, a sub-2 half marathon, or just want to know what 8:00 min/mile looks like in kph, all running goals come back to one tiny equation: pace, time, and distance. This guide shows you how to calculate each one, the target paces for every popular race, and how to convert between min/mile and min/km. For instant numbers, use our free Pace Calculator.

The Running Pace Formula

Every pace calculation comes from three simple variations:

Pace = Time ÷ Distance
Time = Pace × Distance
Distance = Time ÷ Pace

Know any two and you can find the third. That’s the entire idea behind the calculator.

Worked example — finding pace

You run a 5K in 25 minutes. Pace = 25 min ÷ 5 km = 5:00 min/km, which is about 8:03 min/mile, or 7.46 mph. The calculator shows all four units at once.

Worked example — finding finish time

You can comfortably hold 9:09 min/mile. For a marathon (26.219 mi), 9.16 min/mi × 26.219 ≈ 4 hours flat. That’s the famous 4-hour marathon pace.

Worked example — finding distance

You ran for 46 minutes at 9:12 min/mile. Distance = 46 ÷ 9.2 = 5 miles.

Target Pace for Every Major Race

These are the headline numbers worth memorising — they show up constantly in training plans:

• Sub-25 min 5K: 8:03 /mi or 5:00 /km
• Sub-20 min 5K: 6:26 /mi or 4:00 /km
• Sub-50 min 10K: 8:03 /mi or 5:00 /km
• Sub-2:00 half marathon: 9:09 /mi or 5:41 /km
• Sub-1:30 half marathon: 6:52 /mi or 4:16 /km
• Sub-4:00 marathon: 9:09 /mi or 5:41 /km
• Sub-3:30 marathon: 8:00 /mi or 4:58 /km
• Sub-3:00 marathon: 6:52 /mi or 4:16 /km

Notice that a sub-2 half and a sub-4 marathon require the same per-mile pace — the marathon is just twice the distance to hold it. That’s why most runners can race a half faster than half their marathon pace.

Min/Mile ↔ Min/Km ↔ Mph ↔ Kph

The conversions you’ll actually use:

• Divide min/mile by 1.609 to get min/km. So 8:00 /mi ≈ 4:58 /km.
• Multiply min/km by 1.609 to get min/mile.
• For speed: 60 ÷ min/mile = mph. 8:00 /mi = 7.5 mph.
• For metric speed: 60 ÷ min/km = kph. 5:00 /km = 12 kph.

Our Pace Calculator shows all four side by side so you never need to convert by hand — handy for treadmills and overseas races.

Pacing Strategy: Why Even Splits Win

The fastest way to run any race longer than 800 m is usually even splits — covering each mile or kilometer at roughly the same pace, or running the second half slightly faster (a “negative split”). Going out too fast almost always costs you more time at the end than you gained at the start. Look at almost any world-record race and the second half is faster than the first.

The calculator’s split table gives you a clean, even-split target for every mile or every km of the race. Print it, write it on your wrist, or memorise the 5K and 10K checkpoints.

Sample Marathon Splits at a 4-Hour Pace

At 9:09 min/mile, a 4-hour marathon looks like this:

• 5K: ~28:24
• 10K: ~56:48
• Half marathon: ~1:59:55
• 30K: ~2:50:20
• 40K: ~3:47:06
• Finish (42.195 km): ~4:00:00

Walking, Cycling and Swimming

The same math works for every human-powered movement, so this tool isn’t only for runners:

• Brisk walking: typically 15–20 min/mile (3–4 mph).
• Recreational cycling: 10–15 mph; experienced 18–22 mph.
• Swimming: usually paced per 100 m or 100 yd — use a custom distance.