Quick answer
Running energy cost uses VO₂ = 0.2 × speed (m/min) + 3.5 and kcal = VO₂ × kg × minutes ÷ 1000 × 5. A 70 kg runner at 10 minutes per mile uses about 125 kcal a mile, or 113 kcal above resting.
Enter body weight and pace per mile. The calculator returns gross and net calories per mile.
Related tools: Steps per Mile Calculator: Steps needed per mile or kilometer from your stride length. Pace Calculator: Pace and speed from a distance and a time. Pace Distance Calculator: Distance covered at a steady pace for a given time.
How to use the Calories per Mile Calculator
- Enter body weight (kg) (above 0).
- Enter pace (minutes per mile) (between 2 and 60).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Body weight (kg) | A number | > 0 |
| Pace (minutes per mile) | A number | > 2, ≤ 60 |
Formula and method
Formula
VO₂ (mL/kg/min) = 0.2 × speed (m/min) + 3.5; kcal = VO₂ × kg × minutes ÷ 1000 × 5
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Level-ground running equation; gross includes resting metabolism, net removes the 3.5 mL/kg/min resting part. Informational estimate, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified health professional about your own situation.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Body weight (kg) = 70; Pace (minutes per mile) = 10.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories per mile | 125 kcal |
| Net (above resting) | 113 kcal |
Example 2
Inputs: Body weight (kg) = 60; Pace (minutes per mile) = 12.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories per mile | 109 kcal |
| Net (above resting) | 97 kcal |
Example 3
Inputs: Body weight (kg) = 85; Pace (minutes per mile) = 8.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories per mile | 149 kcal |
| Net (above resting) | 137 kcal |
The first line is the headline result (calories per mile). Below it the calories per Mile Calculator lists net (above resting), which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
The ACSM running equation
At 10 min/mi the speed is 160.9 m/min, so VO₂ = 35.7 mL/kg/min. Over 10 minutes a 70 kg runner uses 35.7 × 70 × 10 ÷ 1000 × 5 ≈ 125 kcal. Subtracting the resting 3.5 gives the net 113.
Validity
The equation is valid for steady running at about 134 m/min (5 mph) and above. Hills, wind and running economy change the real figure, and simpler rules of thumb give somewhat lower numbers.
How the result changes with body weight
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only body weight. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Body weight | Calories per mile | Net (above resting) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 62 kcal | 56 kcal |
| 70 | 125 kcal | 113 kcal |
| 140 | 250 kcal | 225 kcal |
| 280 | 500 kcal | 451 kcal |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Body weight (kg): entering "0" shows "Body weight (kg) must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
- Pace (minutes per mile): entering "1" shows "Pace (minutes per mile) must be greater than 2." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Calories per Mile Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Steps per Mile Calculator](/fitness/steps-per-mile-calculator/) | stride length and unit | Steps per mile |
| [Pace Calculator](/fitness/pace-calculator/) | distance and distance unit | Pace per km |
| [Pace Distance Calculator](/fitness/pace-distance-calculator/) | pace minutes and pace per | Distance |
| [Marathon Pace Calculator](/fitness/marathon-pace-calculator/) | race | Pace per km |
| [Race Time Prediction Calculator](/fitness/race-time-prediction-calculator/) | known race distance, unit and target distance | Predicted time |
Background: fitness estimates
Fitness formulas are estimates whose accuracy depends on the input. One-rep-max formulas such as Epley and Brzycki give different answers, and predictions from hard sets of a few repetitions are better than from sets of ten or more. Age-based maximum heart rate formulas can be off by 10 to 30 beats a minute for an individual; Tanaka's 208 − 0.7 × age is generally preferred to 220 − age but is still an estimate.
Pace models built from a race result assume a maximal effort and work best for distances from about 5 km to the marathon. Use the output as a guide, not a prescription.
Assumptions and limitations
- Valid for steady running at about 134 m/min (5 mph) and above
- Not a diagnosis
Estimates from formulas describe averages. They are not a training or medical prescription; check with a qualified professional before changing your exercise or diet.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for body weight (kg) and pace (minutes per mile) to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
Does faster running burn more per mile?
Only slightly; the cost per mile is nearly constant.
What about walking?
Use a walking equation.
Is it net or gross?
Both are shown: gross counts total energy (125 kcal) and net subtracts resting use (113 kcal) for a 70 kg runner at 10 min/mile.
What does the Calories per Mile Calculator calculate?
Energy cost of running a mile from body weight and pace (ACSM equation). It returns Calories per mile and Net (above resting).
What formula does the Calories per Mile Calculator use?
VO₂ (mL/kg/min) = 0.2 × speed (m/min) + 3.5; kcal = VO₂ × kg × minutes ÷ 1000 × 5. Level-ground running equation; gross includes resting metabolism, net removes the 3.5 mL/kg/min resting part.
What do I need to enter in the calories per Mile Calculator?
You enter Body weight (kg) and Pace (minutes per mile).
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Valid for steady running at about 134 m/min (5 mph) and above.
What are the limits of this calculator?
Valid for steady running at about 134 m/min (5 mph) and above. Not a diagnosis.
What is an example of a calories per Mile result?
With body weight (kg) 70 and pace (minutes per mile) 10, the calories per mile is 125 kcal.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: American College of Sports Medicine, Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (running equation).
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
Estimates from formulas describe averages. They are not a training or medical prescription; check with a qualified professional before changing your exercise or diet. For this calculator in particular: Valid for steady running at about 134 m/min (5 mph) and above.
Related calculators
- Steps per Mile Calculator — Steps needed per mile or kilometer from your stride length.
- Pace Calculator — Pace and speed from a distance and a time.
- Pace Distance Calculator — Distance covered at a steady pace for a given time.
- Marathon Pace Calculator — Pace needed to finish a race distance in a target time.
- Race Time Prediction Calculator — Predict a finish time at another distance with Riegel's formula.
- Running Training Pace Calculator — Estimate VO₂max (VDOT) from a race result and get easy, threshold and interval training paces.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine, Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (running equation)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.