Walking Time & Pace Calculator

Where the speed presets come from

The 2024 Adult Compendium describes level, firm-surface walking as slow at 2.0–2.4 mph (code 17152), moderate at 2.8–3.4 mph (17190), brisk at 3.5–3.9 mph (17200) and very brisk at 4.0–4.4 mph (17220). The calculator uses the middle of each band for the headline time and the band edges for the range.

For comparison, a meta-analysis of 23,111 healthy adults by Bohannon and Williams Andrews found mean comfortable walking speeds from 1.43 m/s (about 5.2 km/h or 3.2 mph) in men aged 40–49 down to 0.94 m/s (about 3.4 km/h or 2.1 mph) in women aged 80–99, measured over short courses.

Worked examples

One mile at a moderate 3.1 mph takes 1 ÷ 3.1 hours = 19:21, a pace of 12:02 per kilometer. Across the whole moderate band (2.8–3.4 mph) the same mile takes 17:39–21:26.

One kilometer at a brisk 3.7 mph (5.95 km/h) takes 10:05. A 5K at moderate pace takes about 1:00:08, and a marathon at a brisk 3.7 mph takes about 7:05:10 of moving time before any stops.

Make the estimate yours

Time one measured mile or kilometer on flat ground and enter that pace as a custom pace; it will beat any population band. Hills, heat, crowds, loads, and stops add time the calculator does not include.

• Use the band range when you plan around a deadline such as a race cutoff.
• Switch units at any time; the distance and pace you entered are preserved.
• Step counts are not estimated because step length varies too much between people.