# Running pace explained: from min/km to 5K, 10K and marathon times

> Pace is the time you take for one kilometre. Hold 6:00 per km and you finish a 5K in 30:00, a 10K in 1:00:00, a half marathon in 2:06:35 and a marathon in 4:13:10. This guide shows the maths, a ready table for common paces and how to pick a pace you can actually keep.

Published 2026-10-08 by Toolcloak. 3 minute read. Original: https://toolcloak.pages.dev/articles/running-pace-explained-from-min-per-km-to-5k-10k-and-marathon-times
Related free tool: [Running Pace Calculator](https://toolcloak.pages.dev/tools/running-pace-calculator)

Your watch shows pace, your friend talks about speed, and the race website lists finish times. They are the same thing in different clothes. Once you can switch between them, you can pick a target for any race and know if it is realistic.

> **In short**
> - **Finish time = pace per km × distance in km.** At 6:00 per km, a 10K takes exactly 60 minutes.
> - **Speed in km/h = 60 ÷ pace in minutes.** 6:00 per km is **10 km/h**.
> - Marathon is **42.195 km** and a half marathon **21.0975 km**, so a small pace change adds minutes: **5:30 vs 6:00 per km is 21 minutes in a marathon**.
> - Start at a pace you can hold. Going out too fast is the most common racing mistake.

## Pace and speed are two views of one number

Pace tells you minutes per kilometre. Speed tells you kilometres per hour. They are reciprocals, so a faster pace means a smaller number of minutes and a bigger speed.

**Pace to speed**

|  | km/h |
| --- | --- |
| 7:00 per km | 8.6 km/h |
| 6:30 per km | 9.2 km/h |
| 6:00 per km | 10 km/h |
| 5:30 per km | 10.9 km/h |
| 5:00 per km | 12 km/h |

*To convert, divide 60 by the pace in minutes. 5:30 is 5.5 minutes, 60 ÷ 5.5 = 10.9 km/h.*

> **Finish time = pace × distance:** 6:00 per km over 10 km is 6 × 10 = 60 minutes. For a pace like 5:30, use 5.5 minutes: 5.5 × 10 = 55 minutes.

Try it: [Running Pace Calculator](https://toolcloak.pages.dev/tools/running-pace-calculator). Enter a distance and a time, or a pace, to get the other values.

## Finish times at common paces

**Finish time by pace per km**

| Pace | 5K | 10K | Half | Marathon |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5:00 | 25:00 | 50:00 | 1:45:29 | 3:30:59 |
| 5:30 | 27:30 | 55:00 | 1:56:02 | 3:52:04 |
| 6:00 | 30:00 | 1:00:00 | 2:06:35 | 4:13:10 |
| 6:30 | 32:30 | 1:05:00 | 2:17:08 | 4:34:16 |
| 7:00 | 35:00 | 1:10:00 | 2:27:41 | 4:55:22 |

**Marathon time at each pace (hours)**

|  | Value |
| --- | --- |
| 5:00 | 3:31 |
| 5:30 | 3:52 |
| 6:00 | 4:13 |
| 6:30 | 4:34 |
| 7:00 | 4:55 |

*Each 30 seconds per km adds about 21 minutes over 42.195 km. Small pace gains pay off over long distances.*

## Choosing a pace you can hold

- **Use a recent race or hard time trial** as the starting point. A recent 5K tells you more than a guess.
- **Add time for longer races.** Your marathon pace is slower than your 10K pace, often by 30 to 60 seconds per km, depending on your training.
- **Allow for conditions.** Heat, hills and wind slow everyone down. Run by effort on those days.
- **Use the talk test for easy runs.** If you cannot speak in sentences, you are going faster than easy pace. See [heart rate zones](https://toolcloak.pages.dev/articles/heart-rate-zones-explained-what-each-of-the-five-zones-is-for).

## Pacing a race

**Two ways to run the same 10K**

| Fast start | Even or negative split |
| --- | --- |
| Slows in the second half | Steady or faster finish |
| First km far too quick | Start slightly easy |
| Heart rate climbs early | Hold the target pace in the middle |
| Last 3 km feel like a struggle | Pick up in the last km if you can |

*A negative split means the second half is faster than the first. It is easier to achieve if you start a little slower than you feel you could.*

## Splitting the distance

Break the race into pieces. For a 10K at 6:00 per km, check your watch at 2.5 km (15:00), 5 km (30:00) and 7.5 km (45:00). Small checks keep you on target without constantly watching the screen.

**A 10K at 6:00 per km**

| When | What |
| --- | --- |
| 2.5 km | 15:00. Settle in. If you are ahead of this, ease back. |
| 5 km | 30:00. Halfway. Hold the same effort. |
| 7.5 km | 45:00. The hard part starts. Focus on form and breathing. |
| 10 km | 1:00:00. Finish. If you have energy, use it in the last kilometre. |

## Training sensibly

1. Increase weekly distance gradually, not by large jumps.
2. Keep most runs easy and add one harder session a week as you build up.
3. Rest days are part of training. Our [sleep guide](https://toolcloak.pages.dev/articles/sleep-in-90-minute-cycles-when-to-go-to-bed) helps with recovery.
4. Stop and seek advice if pain is sharp, getting worse or changes the way you run.

> **Use pace as a guide, not a judge:** Some days are slower. A pace chart shows what is possible on a good day. On other days, effort is a better guide.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I calculate running pace?

Pace per km = total time ÷ distance in km. A 50-minute 10K is 50 ÷ 10 = 5:00 per km.

### What is 6:00 per km in km/h?

10 km/h. Divide 60 by the pace in minutes.

### What is a 5K time at 6:00 per km?

30:00. A 10K takes 1:00:00, a half marathon 2:06:35 and a marathon 4:13:10.

### How long is a marathon?

42.195 km (26.2 miles). A half marathon is 21.0975 km.

### What is a negative split?

Running the second half of a race faster than the first half.