Treadmill Pace Converter - Speed to Pace, mph to km/h

How to use this tool

Choose a conversion direction. Select Speed to Pace to start from belt speed, or Pace to Speed to start from a training pace.
Enter a value and its unit. Choose km/h or mph for speed, or min/km or min/mile for pace. The equivalent values update as you type.
Add optional session details. Enter an incline to see the simplified dual-unit pace estimate. Add session duration in minutes to estimate belt distance and vertical change.
Review the estimates. Read both speed and pace units, then open the calculation steps to see the formulas used.

Speed and pace explained

Speed is how fast you travel (distance per time), measured in km/h or mph. Pace is how long it takes to cover one unit of distance, measured in minutes per kilometre or minutes per mile.

They are reciprocals: pace (seconds per kilometre) = 3,600 ÷ speed (km/h). For example, 10 km/h is 360 seconds per kilometre, or 6:00/km. In imperial units, 6 mph is 600 seconds per mile, or 10:00/mile. Use the presets for common plan speeds, or enter a treadmill console value directly.

Common treadmill speeds

6 km/h (3.7 mph): Brisk walk: 10:00/km · 16:06/mile
8 km/h (5 mph): Easy jog: 7:30/km · 12:04/mile
10 km/h (6.2 mph): Moderate run: 6:00/km · 9:39/mile
12 km/h (7.5 mph): Tempo run: 5:00/km · 8:03/mile
16 km/h (9.9 mph): Fast run: 3:45/km · 6:02/mile

Grade-adjusted pace (GAP)

Running uphill generally requires more effort than running on a flat belt at the same speed. This converter provides a simplified grade-adjusted pace estimate to give a rough comparison across inclines; it does not measure your oxygen use or predict an exact flat-equivalent pace.

The estimate adds approximately 10 seconds per km for each 1% uphill and subtracts 7 seconds per km for each 1% downhill. The displayed per-mile value converts the same estimate into imperial units. This linear rule is different from Jones–Doust outdoor-equivalent calculations and Minetti energy-based GAP models, so the results should not be compared as though they use the same formula.

Heart rate training zones

Training zones are often described as percentages of maximum heart rate (HRmax). A rough population estimate sometimes used is 220 − age, but it can differ substantially from an individual’s actual maximum. There is no universal treadmill speed for a heart-rate zone: effort also depends on fitness, incline, temperature, medication, and other factors.

Zone	% HRmax	Typical effort	Common focus
Zone 1 (easy)	50–60%	Very easy; comfortable conversation	Warm-up and recovery
Zone 2 (aerobic base)	60–70%	Easy; full sentences	Easy aerobic work
Zone 3 (tempo)	70–80%	Moderate; shorter phrases	Sustained tempo work
Zone 4 (threshold)	80–90%	Hard; only a few words	Threshold-style intervals
Zone 5 (very hard)	90–100%	Very hard; speaking is difficult	Brief intense efforts

These bands are a general reference, not a prescription. For personalized zone calculations, see the Heart Rate Zone Calculator; a monitor and a suitable method are more informative than matching a treadmill speed to this table.

Calorie burn estimate

A rough calorie estimate can be calculated using MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values:

Calories/hour = MET × weight (kg) × 1.05

Activity	MET value
Flat walking at 5 km/h	3.5
Brisk walking at 6.5 km/h	5.0
Jogging at 8 km/h	7.0
Running at 10 km/h	9.5
Running at 12 km/h	11.0
Running at 16 km/h	14.5

MET-based calorie values are rough averages and vary by body size, fitness, and the way a treadmill reports speed and grade. For a separate session estimate, use the Calorie Burn Calculator.

Incline conversion note

Treadmill incline is displayed as a grade (percentage), not degrees. Grade is calculated as rise ÷ run × 100. A 1% grade is approximately 0.57°, which is a barely perceptible slope.

A 1% treadmill incline is commonly recommended for outdoor runners because it compensates for the lack of air resistance on a treadmill. It is a practical convention, not an exact match for every runner or speed; choose an incline that fits your workout instead of treating 1% as a required setting.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert treadmill speed to running pace?

Convert the speed to km/h, then divide 3,600 seconds by that speed to get seconds per kilometre. For pace per mile, use 3,600 divided by speed in mph. This page displays both pace units and both speed units.

How is grade-adjusted pace estimated?

This page uses a simplified rule: add about 10 seconds per kilometre for each 1% uphill and subtract about 7 seconds per kilometre for each 1% downhill. It is a rough training reference, not a lab measurement and not the Jones–Doust or Minetti model.

How are session distance and elevation calculated?

Distance is treadmill speed multiplied by the optional session duration. Approximate vertical change is distance multiplied by incline grade; downhill results are shown as elevation loss. These are estimates from the entered values, not GPS measurements.