Running Calories Burned Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/5/2026
Running burns about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per kilometer covered. For a 70 kg person running 5 km, the estimated burn is about 350 kcal.
Explanation
This calculator applies a well-established rule in exercise physiology: the energy cost of running is about 1 kcal per kg of body weight per km covered, regardless of pace. This coefficient, measured through Rodolfo Margaria's work in the 1960s, has since been replicated in many studies across runners of varying levels. A notable and often counterintuitive point: for the same distance, pace has little effect on total calorie burn — running faster doesn't burn much more energy over the same distance, it just reduces the time spent running. What matters most for total burn is therefore the distance covered, not the speed. This estimate remains an average: terrain (elevation gain, loose surface), running technique, and individual build make the actual result vary by a few percentage points. To convert this distance into pace per kilometer, see our running pace calculator.
Example: 70 kg over 5 km
Inputs
Weight: 70 kg. Distance: 5 km.
Calculation
Calories burned = weight × distance × 1 = 70 × 5 × 1 = 350.
Result
This run burns about 350 kcal.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't pace change the total calorie burn much?
Because the energy cost of running mainly depends on the mechanical work needed to move body weight over a given distance, not the speed at which that work is done. Running faster uses more energy per second, but over less time — the two effects largely cancel out over a fixed distance.
Does this calculation apply to walking or cycling?
No, this coefficient of about 1 kcal/kg/km is specific to running. Walking has a noticeably lower energy cost per kilometer (about 0.5 kcal/kg/km), and cycling depends heavily on speed and air resistance, unlike running — a different calculation would be needed for those activities.
Is elevation gain accounted for?
No, this calculator assumes a generally flat course. A run with significant elevation gain requires extra energy expenditure not accounted for here — see our elevation gain calculator to estimate the difficulty of an uphill course.