How to Figure Out Your Race Paces running is not every runner is the same. We all tackle the road—or in this case, the treadmill—at our own pace. This is why runners of all different levels, not just beginners, should understand how to read and use the treadmill pace chart, a widely popular tool used for converting treadmill speeds in miles per hour (mph) to running paces (in minutes per mile) and also converts those paces at various inclines.
Everything You Need to Know About Running Hills outdoors, the treadmill pace chart helps you find your ideal pace on the days when you need to clock miles inside. You can use the to deepen your understanding of how your body adjusts to speeds at different inclines, to find your ideal speed for a hill workout, or even just to make sure you’re hitting your ideal minute-per-mile speed for any running workout.
Here, we outline the treadmill pace chart, how to read it, and how to find your speed on the treadmill.
in New York City, and co-founder of: If you have hills on deck, find your desired incline in the top row, then scroll down that column to find your mile pace or the pace your workout calls for and adjust the treadmill to the speed it corresponds with in the first column on the left.
You also simply use the chart to convert treadmill speeds in mph to your pace per mile on the road. To do that, find your ideal pace in the “pace per mile” column and adjust the treadmill to match that pace in the first column on the left.
What are the benefits of using the treadmill pace chart?
As we previously mentioned, this chart can help you find your ideal speed for almost every incline, or want to conquer an workout rather than adjusting the treadmill. Meaning, it can help you avoid exerting more energy than you want to for your workout and the goal for your workout. For example, if you run an 8-minute mile—which is about 7.5 mph on flat ground—at a 3 percent incline, then based on the chart, you’d decrease your speed to about 6.8 mph to run at the same level of effort.
Sales & Deals easy run on your training plan, in which you want to keep your effort light. Adding some hills may get you ready for a hilly race, but you can still keep the intensity low by adjusting your pace accordingly.
Just keep in mind, paces change per individual, and this chart doesn’t convert speeds down to every second. Also, it doesn’t convert every pace. For example, if you run a 12-minute mile—which is about 5 mph—and would like to tackle a 2 percent hill on the treadmill, then you’d have to decrease your speed but the speed you’ll need isn’t available on the chart. So, it can give you an idea of how to set the treadmill to make sure you hit your goal effort levels, but you still need to pay attention to how you’re feeling and find the speeds that work best for you.
Also, it’s important to note that only part of the treadmill pace chart has been validated by research.
To confirm the info in the chart, researchers behind a study DOWNLOAD THE FULL CHART Nutrition - Weight Loss recruited 34 trained runners, who could complete an easy mile within six to 10 minutes. For the study, participants were required to run for five minutes at inclines of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 percent randomly, while researchers monitored performance indicators such as VO2 max, heart rate, and blood lactate concentration for changes.
In the end, they found the chart demonstrated accurate pace changes for inclines at or below 4 percent and speeds ranging from 6 to 8.1 mph (the orange area on the chart) because performance indicators remained constant while participants ran within these ranges. However, if you wanted to increase the incline beyond 4 percent, while maintaining your level of effort, Nicholas Foreman, lead author and Ph.D. student at George Washington University says, you may potentially have to back the speed off more than the chart recommends.
How do you find your pace without the chart?
If you’re going for an easy run threshold efforts, and all-out sprints. Here are the ranges for those paces interval workout on the treadmill, but don’t know your mile pace, you can pay attention to a few other indicators to find your speed.
“If you don’t know what speed you should run at, I would start with focusing on your RPE or the level of effort at which youre running, says [RPE] or the level of effort at which you’re running,” says Raj Hathiramani, Treadmill Workouts for All Your Run Goals Exercises to Make You Stronger on Hills in New York City.
For example, you can start running at a conversational effort on a treadmill, which is about 4 to 6 RPE on a scale of 1 to 10. In terms of translating that effort into treadmill speeds, “a good rule of thumb, for a conversational effort, is about 3.5 to a 6.0 [mph],” says Hathiramani. But that’s just a suggestion—you may be faster or slower, depending on your fitness level and how you’re feeling.
Once you’ve mastered your conversational pace, Hathiramani explains you can focus on other paces, such as your marathon pace, half-marathon pace, is about 7 to 8 RPE and can typically fall within the 5.5 to 8 mph range:
- Marathon pace is about 6 to 7 RPE, which is about 1 mph higher than your conversational pace in terms of speed. A good range to try would be between 4.5 and 7.0 mph.
- A half marathon, or tempo pace, Running on the Treadmill vs. Running Outside.
- A threshold effort Everything You Need to Know About Running Hills 10K pace, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
- An all-out sprint is giving it everything you got, which can include anything above 9.0 mph and about 9 to 10 RPE. (Keep in mind, your all-out sprint may be slower and that’s okay—just work at your top speed.)
One last note: The treadmill doesn’t account for your forward motion or environmental factors, like the wind and varying terrain, so it’s a good idea to set the incline 1.0 mph higher to account for those factors, Hathiramani suggests.
The bottom line on the treadmill pace chart
Everyone runs at their own pace, so if you find the treadmill pace chart doesn’t work for you, then consider using different approaches to finding your pace on the treadmill—or just use it as a way to convert mph to minutes-per-mile.
Also, consider consulting with a run coach, or personal trainer who can better assist you with finding the perfect speed for different inclines. As Amber Rees, Give A Gift Barry’s in New York City, and co-founder of A half marathon, or, says, “it’s important to know that every runner is different but the end goal of a workout or run can be the same.”
Monique LeBrun joined the editorial staff in October 2021 as the associate health and fitness editor. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has previously worked for ABC news and Scholastic. She is an avid runner who loves spending time outside.
