How many calories does running burn?

Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of bodyweight per kilometre — about 0.63 kcal per pound per mile. A 70 kg (154 lb) runner burns around 725 kcal over 10 km. The total depends mostly on how far you run and how much you weigh.

Does running faster burn more calories?

For a fixed distance, pace makes only a small difference to total calories — covering the distance is what costs the energy. Running faster burns the same distance in less time and at a higher rate, so it burns slightly more overall, but distance and bodyweight are the dominant factors.

Calories per km versus per mile — how do they compare?

A mile is about 1.61 km, so calories burned per mile are roughly 1.61 times the per-km figure. For a 70 kg runner that's about 72 kcal per km or 117 kcal per mile.

Is the calorie burn net or gross?

This calculator gives a gross estimate — the total energy your body uses while running, including the calories you would have burned at rest. If you want the extra calories beyond resting, subtract your resting burn for the same time, which is a small adjustment.

Does running burn more than walking the same distance?

Yes, but not by as much as people expect. Per kilometre, running burns more than walking because the movement is less efficient, yet over the same distance the gap is modest. The bigger advantage of running is that you cover more ground in the same amount of time.

Running Calorie Calculator

This running calorie calculator estimates the calories you burn on a run from your bodyweight and distance. Calories burned running depend mostly on how far you go and how much you weigh, so enter both in kilometres or miles for an instant estimate.

How it works

The energy cost of running is close to proportional to bodyweight and distance: it takes a fairly fixed amount of energy to move each kilogram of you over each kilometre, regardless of speed. A widely used figure is about 1.036 kcal per kilogram per kilometre (gross), so the estimate is simply:

calories = bodyweight(kg) × distance(km) × 1.036

Pace is deliberately left out of the headline number because, for a given distance, it changes the total only slightly. To plan the pace itself, use the Pace Calculator.

Worked example

A 70 kg runner covering 10 km burns about 70 × 10 × 1.036 ≈ 725 kcal — roughly 72.5 kcal per kilometre. Over a 5 km parkrun the same runner burns about 363 kcal, and over a half marathon about 1,530 kcal.

Calories burned running by distance

Gross calories burned for common race distances, by bodyweight:

Bodyweight	5K	10K	Half marathon
60 kg	311 kcal	622 kcal	1,311 kcal
75 kg	389 kcal	777 kcal	1,639 kcal
90 kg	466 kcal	932 kcal	1,967 kcal

5K = 5 km, 10K = 10 km, half marathon = 21.1 km.

Using the estimate

Calorie burn is one side of the energy balance; the other is what you eat. To see how a run fits your daily needs, check your total daily energy expenditure or compare other activities with the Calories Burned Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does running burn?: Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of bodyweight per kilometre — about 0.63 kcal per pound per mile. A 70 kg (154 lb) runner burns around 725 kcal over 10 km. The total depends mostly on how far you run and how much you weigh.
Does running faster burn more calories?: For a fixed distance, pace makes only a small difference to total calories — covering the distance is what costs the energy. Running faster burns the same distance in less time and at a higher rate, so it burns slightly more overall, but distance and bodyweight are the dominant factors.
Calories per km versus per mile — how do they compare?: A mile is about 1.61 km, so calories burned per mile are roughly 1.61 times the per-km figure. For a 70 kg runner that's about 72 kcal per km or 117 kcal per mile.
Is the calorie burn net or gross?: This calculator gives a gross estimate — the total energy your body uses while running, including the calories you would have burned at rest. If you want the extra calories beyond resting, subtract your resting burn for the same time, which is a small adjustment.
Does running burn more than walking the same distance?: Yes, but not by as much as people expect. Per kilometre, running burns more than walking because the movement is less efficient, yet over the same distance the gap is modest. The bigger advantage of running is that you cover more ground in the same amount of time.

Related calculators

Disclaimer. This is an estimate only; actual calorie burn varies with terrain, fitness, running efficiency, and conditions. Not medical advice.