Treadmill Pace Chart
| mph | Pace /mi | Pace /km | km/h | 5K at this pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 20:00 /mi | 12:26 /km | 4.8 | 1:02:08 |
| 3.5 | 17:09 /mi | 10:39 /km | 5.6 | 53:16 |
| 4.0 | 15:00 /mi | 9:19 /km | 6.4 | 46:36 |
| 4.5 | 13:20 /mi | 8:17 /km | 7.2 | 41:25 |
| 5.0 | 12:00 /mi | 7:27 /km | 8.0 | 37:17 |
| 5.5 | 10:55 /mi | 6:47 /km | 8.9 | 33:54 |
| 6.0 | 10:00 /mi | 6:13 /km | 9.7 | 31:04 |
| 6.5 | 9:14 /mi | 5:44 /km | 10.5 | 28:41 |
| 7.0 | 8:34 /mi | 5:20 /km | 11.3 | 26:38 |
| 7.5 | 8:00 /mi | 4:58 /km | 12.1 | 24:51 |
| 8.0 | 7:30 /mi | 4:40 /km | 12.9 | 23:18 |
| 8.5 | 7:04 /mi | 4:23 /km | 13.7 | 21:56 |
| 9.0 | 6:40 /mi | 4:09 /km | 14.5 | 20:43 |
| 9.5 | 6:19 /mi | 3:55 /km | 15.3 | 19:37 |
| 10.0 | 6:00 /mi | 3:44 /km | 16.1 | 18:38 |
| 10.5 | 5:43 /mi | 3:33 /km | 16.9 | 17:45 |
| 11.0 | 5:27 /mi | 3:23 /km | 17.7 | 16:57 |
| 11.5 | 5:13 /mi | 3:15 /km | 18.5 | 16:13 |
| 12.0 | 5:00 /mi | 3:06 /km | 19.3 | 15:32 |
The treadmill speaks mph; every training plan speaks pace. This chart is the translation: pick the speed the belt is showing and read the pace you would log - 6.0 mph is 10:00 per mile (6:13 per kilometer), 8.0 mph is 7:30, 10.0 mph is 6:00.
The chart runs 3.0 to 12.0 mph in half-steps, which covers the full belt on most home and gym machines - a slow walk at the top, a five-minute mile at the bottom. The last column converts any speed into its 5K finish time, which is how interval sessions get honest targets: hold 9.0 mph for your repeats and each kilometer asks 4:09.
The honest part: belt miles feel easier than road miles - the belt assists leg turnover, there is no wind to push, and indoor cooling keeps heart rate lower for the same speed. Runners who train exclusively indoors are usually 10-20 seconds per mile slower outdoors at the same effort, which is a translation problem the chart cannot fix but honesty about effort can.
How to use
- Read the mph column the way the console shows it - most belts display one decimal, and the chart's half-steps match the buttons.
- Use the pace columns for the log or the watch: min/mile for US training plans, min/km for track laps and metric races.
- Check the 5K column before interval day: it turns any belt speed into a finish-time target, so 6 x 3 minutes at 9.5 mph has a number to answer to.
Frequently asked questions
What speed on the treadmill is a 10-minute mile?
6.0 mph - the single most-quoted belt number, and the anchor row of the chart. Per kilometer it is 6:13, in km/h it is 9.7, and a 5K held there finishes in 31:04. Half-steps around it: 5.5 mph is 10:55 per mile, 6.5 mph is 9:14.
Does 1 percent incline really make the treadmill equal running outside?
Close, with caveats. The classic physiology work put about 1 percent belt grade at outdoor energy cost for faster running; at easy jogging paces the difference shrinks toward zero, and belt assistance plus still air push the other way. Practical version: run 0.5-1.0 percent for steady work, skip the incline guilt on recovery days, and let outdoor runs recalibrate the legs every week or two.
Why does treadmill running feel easier than the road?
Three assists: the belt moves beneath you so your legs need less drive, there is no headwind at any speed, and climate control keeps sweat and heart rate down. The machine also paces you - the road asks you to generate every step's speed yourself. None of this makes the fitness fake; it makes the same pace worth slightly less than its outdoor label.
How accurate are treadmill speed readouts?
Loose enough to matter and easy to check: mark the belt and the deck, count exactly 20 belt revolutions, multiply belt length by 20 and divide by the time - if the displayed mph disagrees by more than 2-3 percent, the chart's pace columns inherit that error. Gym machines take the worst beating; calibration drift of half a mile per hour is common on heavily used belts.