Faster running burns more per minute, but per mile the difference between paces is small. Running a mile costs roughly 0.7 to 0.8 calories per pound of body weight whatever your speed, because faster runners finish the mile sooner. If you want to burn more in a session, adding time usually works better than adding speed.
Running vs walking
Running burns roughly twice as many calories per minute as brisk walking. Per mile the gap narrows, but running still costs more because each stride lifts your body off the ground. For people who cannot run comfortably, a brisk uphill walk can come close to the per-minute burn of an easy jog.
If you use a treadmill
For treadmill runs where you know the exact speed and incline, our treadmill calorie calculator uses the ACSM running equation, which handles any combination of speed and grade.
Total vs net calories
Your body burns calories all day just to keep running, roughly 1 MET. The total figure includes those calories. The net figure subtracts them, leaving only the extra energy the activity cost. Net is the more honest number if you are thinking about how much a workout adds to a calorie deficit.
Don't count the same calories twice
If you set a calorie target with our TDEE calculator and chose an activity level that includes your usual workouts, those workouts are already in your target. Adding exercise calories on top would count them twice. Use these numbers for workouts beyond your normal routine, or to compare activities.
How accurate is this?
MET values are averages measured in groups of adults aged 19 to 59. Your real burn can differ by 10 to 20% or more because of fitness, technique, body composition and how hard you actually worked. Adults over 60 often burn somewhat less than these estimates; a separate Compendium for older adults exists for that reason. Treat the result as a solid estimate rather than an exact count. Fitness trackers are no more precise; see how accurate fitness trackers are for calories.
Questions people ask
How many calories does running a mile burn?
Roughly 0.7 to 0.8 calories per pound of body weight, so about 110 to 125 calories for a 155 lb runner. Pace changes this less than you might expect.
How many calories does a 30 minute run burn?
For a 155 lb person running at 6 mph, about 340 calories in total. The table on this page shows other weights and paces.
Do I burn more running on a hill?
Yes. Running uphill at 6 mph on a 5% incline is rated about 13.3 METs, compared with about 9.3 on flat ground at the same speed.
How many calories does running a 5K or 10K burn?
For a 155 lb runner at a 10 minute mile, a 5K burns about 356 calories and a 10K about 711, in total. A half marathon is about 1,500.
Sources
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2024;13(1):6–12. pacompendium.com