FREE GUIDE
Running pace basics
Understand pace as time per distance and use it to review workouts or race targets.
Pace versus speed
Pace answers “how much time does one unit of distance take?” A runner might describe a workout as 6 minutes per kilometer. Speed answers the inverse question: how much distance is covered in a unit of time.
The simple formula
Average pace equals elapsed time divided by distance. If a workout takes 30 minutes and covers 5 km, the average pace is 6 minutes per kilometer.
Why average pace is only a summary
A workout can contain stops, hills, intervals and changes in speed. Average pace compresses all of that into one number, so it is useful for comparison but does not describe every part of the run.
Use the Running Pace Calculator for a quick estimate.
Last reviewed: September 2026