Running pace is how long it takes to cover one kilometer or one mile. Finish time is the clock at the end. They are not the same number, and mixing them up is the usual mistake.
The formula
Pace = time ÷ distance.
Keep the units matched. If the distance is in kilometers, the pace is minutes per kilometer. If the distance is in miles, the pace is minutes per mile.
A 30:00 run over 5 km:
30 ÷ 5 = 6 minutes per kilometer, written 6:00/km.
The same run in miles uses 5 ÷ 1.609344 = 3.107 miles.
30 ÷ 3.107 = 9.66 minutes per mile, which is 9:39/mile.
You can also convert the pace directly. Multiply min/km by 1.609344:
6 × 1.609344 = 9.656 minutes = 9:39/mile.
Use the pace calculator when the distance is not a round number, and the min/km to min/mile converter when you only need the unit change.
How to calculate race finish time from pace
Time = pace × distance.
At 6:00/km:
- 5K: 30:00
- 10K: 1:00:00
- Half marathon (21.0975 km): 2:06:35
- Marathon (42.195 km): 4:13:10
Those are even-pace times. They do not add hills or a slowdown. The 5K pace chart, 10K pace chart, and marathon pace chart extend the same multiplication. A five-minute change on a 10K is always 30 seconds per kilometer.
Pace to speed
Speed in km/h = 60 ÷ minutes per kilometer.
6:00/km is 60 ÷ 6 = 10 km/h. The mile version of that effort is 6.21 mph. The running speed calculator does both directions, including meters per second.
What to type into a watch
Most GPS watches want the pace unit set once, then they show min/km or min/mile for the rest of the run. Set the unit before you compare a workout to a plan. A 5:30 pace is an easy-to-steady run per kilometer and a hard effort per mile.
For a fixed race, skip the general division and open the distance page: 5K pace, 10K pace, half marathon pace, or marathon pace. Those pages add the splits this formula does not.