The average person burns 100-180 calories per mile (60-110 calories per km) running on level terrain. That’s 9 times more calories per minute than sitting on the couch. [1, 9]
Actual calories burned running varies based on many factors, with weight, duration and speed being the most impactful.
Use the below calculator for your own personal calorie estimate.
Calories burned running calculator
How to use the calculator
The calories burned running calculator will give you a personal estimate of how many calories you burned running.
Follow these steps:
Step 1 – Enter your weight in pounds or kilograms
Step 2 – Enter the duration of your run
Step 3 – Add the distance in miles or kilometers
The running calorie calculator will work out your running pace per mile or kilometer and the calories burned during your run.
How the calculator works
The calories burned running calculator is based on established running MET units (Metabolic Equivalent).
A MET unit is a way of expressing the physical intensity and calorie burn of a particular activity.
Research has been conducted over the years on the MET scores and resulting calories burned of various speeds of running. [1]
The calculator uses your input to workout your running speed, it then looks up a corresponding MET score for your run. That MET score is then used to calculate the estimated calories burned for your run.
Limitations of the calculator
This and any other calorie calculator can only provide estimates of your calories burned.
Other factors involved in calories burned running include, incline, fitness level, heart rate and personal variation.
Metabolism varies from person to person, individual differences in body composition, hormonal profiles, and other physiological factors can all impact on your actual calories burned running.
How many calories does running burn per mile?
The commonly used figure is 100 calories per mile of running, which is 60 calories per km. This is primarily used as its an easy to remember number. 100 calories per mile is however only typical if you weigh 140lbs.
The CDC states the average American weighs anywhere from 140lbs to 230lbs, with the average female being 170lbs, burning 130 calories per mile and average male 200lbs burning 150 calories per mile.[9]
So its more accurate to see the average calorie burn as being a range from 100-180 calories per mile (60-110 calories per km) running on level terrain. [1]
If you are planning to run a marathon and want to know how many calories you’ll burn, read: Calories burned running a marathon.
There are many factors that influence individual calorie burn during a run, with the most significant be:
- Weight – the heavier your are the more calories burned
- Run time – the longer spent running the more calories burned
- Speed – the faster you run the more calories burned per minute
Calories burned running by time
On average, running burns about 10 calories per minute. This will depend on your weight, running speed, and terrain.
Someone of 130lbs running burns about 10 calories per minute.
A 30-minute run burns about 300 calories and a 60-minute run burns about 600 calories.
This will be slightly more or less, depending on your weight, pace, and environment.
How many calories does a 30-minute run burn?
Someone weighing 130 lbs, running at a 10-minute-per-mile pace, which is the average pace of running, burns about 300 calories.
The largest factor affecting calories burned in 30 minutes of running is your weight.
Use the table below to see the approximate calories burned running for 30 minutes by weight.
| Weight (lbs) | Calories |
| 130 | 303 |
| 140 | 327 |
| 150 | 350 |
| 160 | 373 |
| 170 | 397 |
| 180 | 420 |
| 190 | 443 |
| 200 | 467 |
| 210 | 490 |
How many calories does a 60-minute run burn?
Someone weighing 130 lbs, running at a 10-minute-per-mile pace, burns about 600 calories.
If you weight more your calories burned will be even more.
The table below shows you the number of calories burned in a 60-minute run depending on your weight.
| Weight (lbs) | Calories |
| 130 | 607 |
| 140 | 653 |
| 150 | 700 |
| 160 | 747 |
| 170 | 793 |
| 180 | 840 |
| 190 | 887 |
| 200 | 933 |
| 210 | 980 |
Factors that affect calories burned running
The number of calories you burn running can be influenced by several factors. Here are the 4 main factors that influence energy expenditure during a run.
Body weight
The heavier you are, the greater the calorie burn in running. For example, a 160-pound person running a 10-minute mile pace for 60 minutes would burn 747 calories. Whereas a 180-pound person running for the same duration and speed would burn 840 calories.
Duration
The longer you run, the more calories you’ll burn. For example, a 180-pound person will burn 420 calories if he or she runs at a 10-minute mile pace for 30 minutes. Running for 10 minutes longer at the same pace will burn an extra 560 calories. For more on factors that affect calorie burn, read Calories burned running a half marathon.
Running pace
Running at a higher intensity requires more energy and will result in more calories burned. The faster you run, the more calories you’ll burn.
For example, a 160-pound person running at 4 miles per hour will burn 457 calories. If he or she increases the pace to 5 miles per hour, he or she will burn 632 calories.
Initially an increase in running pace creates a proportional increase in calories burned.
However around 9 mph (6:40 min/mile pace) the rate of calorie burn rate to speed increase increases dramatically.
MET values for running at various different speeds
Calorie expenditure is calculated in METs, where 1 MET is equal to the calories burned sitting at rest.
This graph shows the MET values for running at various speeds. [1]
Uphill versus flat running surface
The terrain you run on will also influence how many calories are burned running. If you are running on flat terrain, you’ll burn fewer calories than hills. The same goes for a smooth road versus cross-country running – the energy expenditure will be more on the rough terrain.
Even more factors affecting calorie burn
Other factors that might influence the number of calories burned running can also include wind resistance [2], gender, muscle mass (muscle uses more energy than fat), fitness level, heart rate, and personal variation [3].
How to burn more calories running
It’s fairly easy to burn more calories running by increasing your speed, the distance, and mixing up the intensity. Here are our top tips to get the most out of your run.
1. Increase your running speed
Jogging (at about 4 – 5 miles per hour) will naturally burn more calories than walking. However, if you want to burn more calories or get the most out of your run, increasing the speed from a jog to a run will burn significantly more calories.
If you’re not yet up to running speed, try jogging for 1 min and then running a bit faster for 1 min. Alternate these paces for the duration of your run. Use our average 1 mile run time by age tables for a good goal mile time.
Not only will you improve your fitness but this will also help you to burn more calories.
2. Run for longer
Taking the long way around or running for just a little bit further than you usually do, will also help you to burn more calories [3].
A great way to do this is to set a small achievable goal for each run. For example, if you always end your run opposite your driveway, aim to end your run a few houses down or at the end of the road.
The key is to make this feel achievable and to increase the distance each time.
The average person burns 100-180 calories per mile (60-110 calories per km) running on level terrain. That’s 9 times more calories per minute than sitting on the couch. [1, 9]
Actual calories burned running varies based on many factors, with weight, duration and speed being the most impactful.
3. Hit the hills or stairs
Running uphill will naturally burn more calories than a running surface that is flat. If you have hills in your neighborhood, add them to your daily run or do some incline running on your treadmill - If you're looking for a new treadmill check out our Noble Pro Elite 10i treadmill review – see how it stacks up for features, performance, and whether it’s the right choice for your home workout.
If you can’t yet run up the hill, try a brisk walk which increases the calories burned walking and progress to jogging. Every time you increase the intensity, you’ll end up increasing the calories burned.
4. Add HIIT to your run
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense effort followed by brief recovery periods.
HIIT has been shown to improve fitness [4] and burn calories effectively in a shorter time compared to steady-state running.
Once again, you can mix this up by sprinting up a hill, adding in stairs or even doing a few push-ups or pull-ups on the way.
5. Increase the weight
The heavier you are, the more calories you’ll burn. If you add extra weight to your run, you’ll increase your energy expenditure for that run.
An easy way to do this is to add a weighted vest or running with hand or ankle weights. Keep in mind, that this can be extremely taxing on the body, so it’s best to start off really light and slowly build up the weight.
6. Run on a treadmill
Treadmill running is a convenient and efficient way to burn calories and improve cardiovascular health. It’s also one way to ensure that you are consistent in your running as it’s not dependent on the weather conditions.
When choosing a treadmill, look for one that is sturdy, has a wide range of speeds and inclines, and includes features such as heart rate monitoring and customizable workouts.
Read more about our favorite treadmill in our NoblePro Elite E8i Treadmill Review.
To get the most out of your treadmill workout, vary the speed and incline to challenge your body and prevent boredom. Incorporate intervals of high-intensity running or incline sprints to help you burn more calories and improve your overall fitness level.
FAQs
How to calculate calories burned running
Use a calories burned running calculator, fitness trackers such as a fitness device like Fitbit, or a Garmin running watch.
How many calories burned when running a mile?
You’ll burn about 100 calories when running a mile. This can vary, so the best way to calculate the number of calories you burn is to use a calories-burned running calculator.
How many calories burned when running a mile?
Yes, if you increase the distance that you run. For example, a slow run for 2 miles will burn more calories than a slow run for 1 mile.
How many calories burned when running a mile?
speed and the incline. The treadmill will also be able to record your data for each of your sessions and measure how many calories you’ve burned.
What type of running is best for burning calories?
Interval training (HIIT) running is very effective for burning calories and improving your fitness. Add a few short bursts of sprinting into your daily run to increase your calorie burn.
Sources
Articles on CaloriesBurnedHQ are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
- Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities
- The influence of wind resistance in running and walking and the mechanical efficiency of work against horizontal or vertical forces
- Running designs that affect calories burned
- Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training for weight loss in adults with obesity: a randomised controlled non-inferiority trial
- Time to encourage patients to take more exercise
- Long-distance running, bone density, and osteoarthritis
- The effects of running and meditation on beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol in plasma, and on mood
- Endorphines and exercise
- CDC Body Measurements
- The effects of increasing exercise intensity on muscle fuel utilisation in humas
- The regulation of fat metabolism during aerobic exercise
- Substrate utilization during resting state
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