Calories Burned Running & Walking Calculator

This tool uses the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) metabolic equations. The formula first calculates your oxygen consumption (VO2​) based on your speed, and then converts that into caloric expenditure using your body mass.

It’s worth noting that The ACSM uses a specific equation to calculate the oxygen consumption (VO2) for horizontal and vertical (incline) movement. The formula for running at speeds greater than 5 mph is:

VO2 = (0.2 × S) + (0.9 × S × G) + 3.5

The specific formula for running at a 0% grade is:

VO2​=(0.2×speed in meters per minute)+3.5.

Running is a weight-bearing exercise. Every step requires your muscles to move your entire body mass against gravity. Because of this, a heavier person requires more energy (calories) to cover the same distance at the same pace as a lighter person.

On average, a person weighing 155 lbs running at a 10-minute mile pace will burn approximately 350–400 calories in 30 minutes. However, this number fluctuates significantly based on your weight and how fast you are running.

Running a mile burns approximately 100 calories. While any movement helps, weight loss is a result of a total caloric deficit. Using a calories burned calculator helps you track your energy output so you can better manage your nutrition and fitness goals.

Distance is the primary driver of total calories burned, but pace determines your “burn rate” per minute. If you run 5 miles, you will burn a similar amount of total calories whether you run fast or slow, but running faster will get the job done quicker and increase your cardiovascular fitness.

Our calculator uses the ACSM formula, which is the gold standard in exercise science. While it is highly accurate for road and treadmill running, factors like extreme hills, high wind, or soft terrain (like sand) can increase the actual energy required.