What is the difference between pace and speed?

Same information, inverted: pace is minutes per kilometre, speed is kilometres per hour. 5:00 min/km equals 12 km/h.

Is my watch GPS accurate for pace?

On open roads usually yes, within 1-3%. Among tall buildings, in forests or tunnels instant pace can jump around: trust the per-kilometre average.

All tools

Running pace calculator

Enter distance and time (hours:minutes:seconds) to get your pace per kilometre and average speed. It works backwards too: enter your goal race time and read the pace to hold.

Distance (km)Time (h:mm:ss)

Pace

5:27 min/km

Average speed

11.01 km/h

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How running pace is calculated

Pace is the time it takes you to cover one kilometre: total time divided by distance. Running 10 km in 50 minutes means a 5:00 min/km pace, or 12 km/h.

Pace is more practical than speed because you compare it directly with your watch's split at every kilometre.

Reference paces for popular races

Sub-2 half marathon: 5:41 min/km. Sub-1:45: 4:58 min/km. Sub-4 marathon: 5:41 min/km. Sub-3:30: 4:58 min/km. Sub-50 10K: 5:00 min/km.

On race day start a few seconds slower than goal pace for the first kilometres: making up time at the end costs far less than paying for a fast start.

FAQ

What is the difference between pace and speed?: Same information, inverted: pace is minutes per kilometre, speed is kilometres per hour. 5:00 min/km equals 12 km/h.
Is my watch GPS accurate for pace?: On open roads usually yes, within 1-3%. Among tall buildings, in forests or tunnels instant pace can jump around: trust the per-kilometre average.