How to convert pace by hand
One mile is 1.609344 km. A mile takes longer than a kilometre, so a pace per mile is always the bigger number. To go from per km to per mile, multiply by 1.609344. To go from per mile to per km, divide by it.
Do the sum in seconds. Take 5:40 per km: that is 340 seconds. 340 × 1.609344 is 547.2 seconds, and 547 seconds is 9 minutes and 7 seconds, so 5:40 per km is 9:07 per mile. Going the other way, 8:30 per mile is 510 seconds, and 510 ÷ 1.609344 is 316.9 seconds, or 5:17 per km.
Speed is the same thing turned upside down. 60 divided by the pace in minutes gives the speed: 6:00 per km is 60 ÷ 6 = 10 km/h, and 10:00 per mile is 60 ÷ 10 = 6 mph. Seconds need turning into decimals first, so 7:30 per mile is 7.5 minutes and 8 mph.
Pace per mile to per km, km/h and mph
| Per mile | Per km | km/h | mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 | 3:44 | 16.1 | 10.0 |
| 6:15 | 3:53 | 15.4 | 9.6 |
| 6:30 | 4:02 | 14.9 | 9.2 |
| 6:45 | 4:12 | 14.3 | 8.9 |
| 7:00 | 4:21 | 13.8 | 8.6 |
| 7:15 | 4:30 | 13.3 | 8.3 |
| 7:30 | 4:40 | 12.9 | 8.0 |
| 7:45 | 4:49 | 12.5 | 7.7 |
| 8:00 | 4:58 | 12.1 | 7.5 |
| 8:15 | 5:08 | 11.7 | 7.3 |
| 8:30 | 5:17 | 11.4 | 7.1 |
| 8:45 | 5:26 | 11.0 | 6.9 |
| 9:00 | 5:36 | 10.7 | 6.7 |
| 9:15 | 5:45 | 10.4 | 6.5 |
| 9:30 | 5:54 | 10.2 | 6.3 |
| 9:45 | 6:04 | 9.9 | 6.2 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 9.7 | 6.0 |
| 10:15 | 6:22 | 9.4 | 5.9 |
| 10:30 | 6:31 | 9.2 | 5.7 |
| 10:45 | 6:41 | 9.0 | 5.6 |
| 11:00 | 6:50 | 8.8 | 5.5 |
| 11:15 | 6:59 | 8.6 | 5.3 |
| 11:30 | 7:09 | 8.4 | 5.2 |
| 11:45 | 7:18 | 8.2 | 5.1 |
| 12:00 | 7:27 | 8.0 | 5.0 |
| 12:15 | 7:37 | 7.9 | 4.9 |
| 12:30 | 7:46 | 7.7 | 4.8 |
| 12:45 | 7:55 | 7.6 | 4.7 |
| 13:00 | 8:05 | 7.4 | 4.6 |
| 13:15 | 8:14 | 7.3 | 4.5 |
| 13:30 | 8:23 | 7.2 | 4.4 |
| 13:45 | 8:33 | 7.0 | 4.4 |
| 14:00 | 8:42 | 6.9 | 4.3 |
| 14:15 | 8:51 | 6.8 | 4.2 |
| 14:30 | 9:01 | 6.7 | 4.1 |
| 14:45 | 9:10 | 6.5 | 4.1 |
| 15:00 | 9:19 | 6.4 | 4.0 |
Looking for a pace per km first? The running pace chart runs from 3:00 to 8:30 per km and adds your finish time at 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon for each pace.
Which unit to train in
Either works, as long as your plan and your watch use the same one. Race distances are mostly metric (5K, 10K) while road signs and many American plans are in miles, so it helps to know both for the paces you run most. A Run-R plan can be set to km or miles, and every pace in it switches with it.
To get a pace from a race time rather than convert one, use the pace calculator. For a treadmill that shows speed, the treadmill pace calculator also allows for the incline.