Running Pace Chart: Min/km to Min/mile and Race Finish Times
A running pace chart is the fastest way to answer the two questions every runner asks before a race: what pace do I need to hit my goal time, and what finish time does my current pace actually produce? The tables below convert pace between minutes per kilometre and minutes per mile, and show the finish time each pace gives across the four most common race distances.
UK runners live in a mixed-unit world. Race distances are metric, most training apps default to kilometres, but club runners, treadmills and a lot of coaching language still work in miles. A pace chart removes the mental arithmetic.
The main running pace chart
Every row is one pace. Read across to see the mile equivalent and the finish time for a 5K, 10K, half marathon (21.0975 km) and marathon (42.195 km) held at that exact pace.
| Pace /km | Pace /mile | 5K | 10K | Half | Marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:30 | 5:38 | 17:30 | 35:00 | 1:13:50 | 2:27:41 |
| 3:45 | 6:02 | 18:45 | 37:30 | 1:19:07 | 2:38:14 |
| 4:00 | 6:26 | 20:00 | 40:00 | 1:24:23 | 2:48:47 |
| 4:15 | 6:50 | 21:15 | 42:30 | 1:29:40 | 2:59:20 |
| 4:30 | 7:15 | 22:30 | 45:00 | 1:34:56 | 3:09:53 |
| 4:45 | 7:39 | 23:45 | 47:30 | 1:40:13 | 3:20:26 |
| 5:00 | 8:03 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:58 |
| 5:15 | 8:27 | 26:15 | 52:30 | 1:50:46 | 3:41:31 |
| 5:30 | 8:51 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 5:45 | 9:15 | 28:45 | 57:30 | 2:01:19 | 4:02:37 |
| 6:00 | 9:39 | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:15 | 10:04 | 31:15 | 1:02:30 | 2:11:52 | 4:23:43 |
| 6:30 | 10:28 | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
| 6:45 | 10:52 | 33:45 | 1:07:30 | 2:22:24 | 4:44:49 |
| 7:00 | 11:16 | 35:00 | 1:10:00 | 2:27:41 | 4:55:22 |
| 7:15 | 11:40 | 36:15 | 1:12:30 | 2:32:57 | 5:05:55 |
| 7:30 | 12:04 | 37:30 | 1:15:00 | 2:38:14 | 5:16:28 |
| 7:45 | 12:28 | 38:45 | 1:17:30 | 2:43:30 | 5:27:01 |
| 8:00 | 12:52 | 40:00 | 1:20:00 | 2:48:47 | 5:37:34 |
Two things worth noting. First, these are pure mathematical conversions: they assume you hold the same pace for the whole distance, which almost nobody does. Second, holding 5:00/km for 5K is a very different physiological task from holding it for a marathon, so a row is not a prediction of what you could run at every distance. For that, use the running pace calculator, which applies the Riegel formula to convert a real race result into realistic equivalents.
Pace chart for common goal times
Most runners work backwards from a round-number target. This table gives the average pace each popular UK goal requires.
| Goal | Pace /km | Pace /mile |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-30 5K | 6:00 | 9:39 |
| Sub-25 5K | 5:00 | 8:03 |
| Sub-60 10K | 6:00 | 9:39 |
| Sub-50 10K | 5:00 | 8:03 |
| Sub-2:00 half marathon | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| Sub-1:45 half marathon | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| Sub-4:30 marathon | 6:24 | 10:18 |
| Sub-4:00 marathon | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| Sub-3:30 marathon | 4:59 | 8:01 |
A useful pattern falls out of that table: 5:41/km gets you both a sub-2:00 half and a sub-4:00 marathon, and 4:59/km covers both sub-1:45 and sub-3:30. If you can already run comfortably at those paces for an hour, the goal is a training-volume problem rather than a speed problem.
How to convert pace between km and miles yourself
One mile is 1.609344 kilometres, so:
- Km pace to mile pace: multiply by 1.609. A 5:00/km pace becomes 8:03/mile.
- Mile pace to km pace: divide by 1.609. An 8:00/mile pace becomes 4:58/km.
The awkward part is that pace is written in minutes and seconds, not decimals. Convert to seconds first, multiply or divide, then convert back. 5:00/km is 300 seconds; 300 × 1.609 = 483 seconds; 483 seconds is 8 minutes 3 seconds. A rough mental shortcut that works well enough on the run: add 60% to your km pace to get mile pace.
Reading the chart on race day
A chart gives you an average, but races are not run at an average. Aim to run the opening kilometre 5 to 10 seconds per km slower than the chart pace, settle onto target through the middle, and let the effort rise in the final quarter. This is the practical version of a negative split strategy, and it is far more reliable than trying to bank time early.
Also account for the course. Hills, wind, heat and crowded starts all cost seconds per kilometre, and UK city races frequently measure slightly long on a watch because of the racing line. If your goal time is tight, build in 10 to 15 seconds of margin per kilometre of climbing rather than assuming the flat-course number holds.
Which distance chart should you use?
If you are targeting one specific race, work from the dedicated calculator rather than the general chart, because it also returns the split times you need at each checkpoint:
- 5K pace calculator for parkrun and club 5Ks
- 10K pace calculator
- Half marathon pace calculator
- Marathon pace calculator
And if you want the pace for a distance that is not on the chart, such as a 10-mile race or an ultra leg, enter your own distance and target time into the pace calculator and it will solve for pace in both units.