Treadmill Pace Conversion Chart
Running on a treadmill at 0% incline is easier than outdoor running due to no wind resistance. This article provides a chart showing equivalent efforts for treadmill and outdoor running, based on oxygen consumption data from studies in the 1980s and 1990s.
Because of lack of wind resistance while running on a treadmill, the effort of running on a treadmill at 0% incline is less than that of running on a level road at the same pace. Below is a chart that you can use to get approximate equivalent efforts between running on a treadmill at different paces and inclines and running outdoors on a level surface.
What is the source of the data for the chart?
In the late 1990s, some post-graduate students gathered data from multiple studies done in the 1980s and 1990s. They used primarily data on oxygen consumption, comparing runners of various abilities running on outdoor tracks at various paces to the same runners running at various paces and inclines on treadmills. The oxygen consumption between methods of running was compared and the data extrapolated to produce this chart.
Treadmill Pace Conversion Chart
| Treadmill (MPH) | Pace / mile | Equivalent paces by incline | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 10% | ||
| 5.0 | 12:00 | 12:31 | 11:44 | 11:05 | 10:32 | 10:03 | 9:38 | 9:16 | 8:56 | 8:38 | 8:22 | 8:07 |
| 5.2 | 11:32 | 12:02 | 11:18 | 10:42 | 10:11 | 9:44 | 9:20 | 8:59 | 8:40 | 8:23 | 8:08 | 7:54 |
| 5.4 | 11:07 | 11:35 | 10:55 | 10:20 | 9:51 | 9:26 | 9:03 | 8:43 | 8:25 | 8:09 | 7:55 | 7:41 |
| 5.6 | 10:43 | 11:10 | 10:32 | 10:00 | 9:33 | 9:09 | 8:48 | 8:29 | 8:12 | 7:56 | 7:42 | 7:29 |
| 5.8 | 10:21 | 10:47 | 10:12 | 9:42 | 9:16 | 8:53 | 8:33 | 8:15 | 7:58 | 7:44 | 7:30 | 7:18 |
| 6.0 | 10:00 | 10:26 | 9:52 | 9:24 | 9:00 | 8:38 | 8:19 | 8:02 | 7:46 | 7:32 | 7:19 | 7:07 |
| 6.1 | 9:50 | 10:15 | 9:43 | 9:16 | 8:52 | 8:31 | 8:12 | 7:55 | 7:40 | 7:26 | 7:14 | 7:02 |
| 6.2 | 9:41 | 10:05 | 9:34 | 9:08 | 8:44 | 8:24 | 8:06 | 7:49 | 7:34 | 7:21 | 7:08 | 6:57 |
| 6.3 | 9:31 | 9:56 | 9:26 | 9:00 | 8:37 | 8:17 | 7:59 | 7:43 | 7:29 | 7:15 | 7:03 | 6:52 |
| 6.4 | 9:23 | 9:46 | 9:17 | 8:52 | 8:30 | 8:10 | 7:53 | 7:37 | 7:23 | 7:10 | 6:58 | 6:47 |
| 6.5 | 9:14 | 9:37 | 9:09 | 8:45 | 8:23 | 8:04 | 7:47 | 7:32 | 7:18 | 7:05 | 6:53 | 6:43 |
| 6.6 | 9:05 | 9:29 | 9:01 | 8:37 | 8:16 | 7:58 | 7:41 | 7:26 | 7:13 | 7:00 | 6:49 | 6:38 |
| 6.7 | 8:57 | 9:20 | 8:53 | 8:30 | 8:10 | 7:52 | 7:35 | 7:21 | 7:07 | 6:55 | 6:44 | 6:34 |
| 6.8 | 8:49 | 9:12 | 8:45 | 8:23 | 8:03 | 7:46 | 7:30 | 7:15 | 7:02 | 6:50 | 6:40 | 6:29 |
| 6.9 | 8:42 | 9:04 | 8:39 | 8:17 | 7:57 | 7:40 | 7:24 | 7:10 | 6:58 | 6:46 | 6:35 | 6:25 |
| 7.0 | 8:34 | 8:56 | 8:32 | 8:10 | 7:51 | 7:34 | 7:19 | 7:05 | 6:53 | 6:41 | 6:31 | 6:21 |
| 7.1 | 8:27 | 8:49 | 8:25 | 8:04 | 7:45 | 7:29 | 7:14 | 7:00 | 6:48 | 6:37 | 6:27 | 6:17 |
| 7.2 | 8:20 | 8:41 | 8:18 | 7:58 | 7:40 | 7:23 | 7:09 | 6:56 | 6:44 | 6:33 | 6:22 | 6:13 |
| 7.3 | 8:13 | 8:34 | 8:12 | 7:52 | 7:34 | 7:18 | 7:04 | 6:51 | 6:39 | 6:28 | 6:18 | 6:09 |
| 7.4 | 8:06 | 8:27 | 8:05 | 7:46 | 7:28 | 7:13 | 6:59 | 6:46 | 6:35 | 6:24 | 6:14 | 6:05 |
| 7.5 | 8:00 | 8:20 | 7:59 | 7:40 | 7:23 | 7:08 | 6:54 | 6:42 | 6:31 | 6:20 | 6:11 | 6:02 |
| 7.6 | 7:54 | 8:14 | 7:53 | 7:34 | 7:18 | 7:03 | 6:50 | 6:38 | 6:26 | 6:16 | 6:07 | 5:58 |
| 7.7 | 7:48 | 8:07 | 7:47 | 7:29 | 7:13 | 6:58 | 6:45 | 6:33 | 6:22 | 6:12 | 6:03 | 5:55 |
| 7.8 | 7:42 | 8:01 | 7:41 | 7:24 | 7:08 | 6:54 | 6:41 | 6:29 | 6:18 | 6:09 | 5:59 | 5:51 |
| 7.9 | 7:36 | 7:55 | 7:36 | 7:18 | 7:03 | 6:49 | 6:37 | 6:25 | 6:15 | 6:05 | 5:56 | 5:48 |
| 8.0 | 7:30 | 7:49 | 7:30 | 7:13 | 6:58 | 6:45 | 6:32 | 6:21 | 6:11 | 6:01 | 5:52 | 5:44 |
| 8.1 | 7:24 | 7:43 | 7:25 | 7:08 | 6:54 | 6:40 | 6:28 | 6:17 | 6:07 | 5:58 | 5:49 | 5:41 |
| 8.2 | 7:19 | 7:38 | 7:20 | 7:04 | 6:49 | 6:36 | 6:24 | 6:13 | 6:03 | 5:54 | 5:46 | 5:38 |
| 8.3 | 7:14 | 7:32 | 7:15 | 6:59 | 6:45 | 6:32 | 6:20 | 6:10 | 6:00 | 5:51 | 5:42 | 5:35 |
| 8.4 | 7:09 | 7:27 | 7:10 | 6:54 | 6:40 | 6:28 | 6:16 | 6:06 | 5:56 | 5:47 | 5:39 | 5:32 |
| 8.5 | 7:04 | 7:22 | 7:05 | 6:50 | 6:36 | 6:24 | 6:13 | 6:02 | 5:53 | 5:44 | 5:36 | 5:29 |
| 8.6 | 6:59 | 7:16 | 7:00 | 6:45 | 6:32 | 6:20 | 6:09 | 5:59 | 5:49 | 5:41 | 5:33 | 5:26 |
| 8.7 | 6:54 | 7:11 | 6:55 | 6:41 | 6:28 | 6:16 | 6:05 | 5:55 | 5:46 | 5:38 | 5:30 | 5:23 |
| 8.8 | 6:49 | 7:07 | 6:51 | 6:37 | 6:24 | 6:12 | 6:02 | 5:52 | 5:43 | 5:35 | 5:27 | 5:20 |
| 8.9 | 6:44 | 7:02 | 6:46 | 6:32 | 6:20 | 6:09 | 5:58 | 5:49 | 5:40 | 5:32 | 5:24 | 5:17 |
| 9.0 | 6:40 | 6:57 | 6:42 | 6:28 | 6:16 | 6:05 | 5:55 | 5:45 | 5:37 | 5:29 | 5:21 | 5:14 |
| 9.1 | 6:36 | 6:52 | 6:38 | 6:24 | 6:12 | 6:01 | 5:51 | 5:42 | 5:34 | 5:26 | 5:18 | 5:11 |
| 9.2 | 6:31 | 6:48 | 6:34 | 6:20 | 6:09 | 5:58 | 5:48 | 5:39 | 5:31 | 5:23 | 5:16 | 5:09 |
| 9.3 | 6:27 | 6:44 | 6:29 | 6:17 | 6:05 | 5:55 | 5:45 | 5:36 | 5:28 | 5:20 | 5:13 | 5:06 |
| 9.4 | 6:23 | 6:39 | 6:25 | 6:13 | 6:02 | 5:51 | 5:42 | 5:33 | 5:25 | 5:17 | 5:10 | 5:04 |
| 9.5 | 6:19 | 6:35 | 6:22 | 6:09 | 5:58 | 5:48 | 5:39 | 5:30 | 5:22 | 5:14 | 5:08 | 5:01 |
| 9.6 | 6:15 | 6:31 | 6:18 | 6:06 | 5:55 | 5:45 | 5:35 | 5:27 | 5:19 | 5:12 | 5:05 | 4:59 |
| 9.7 | 6:11 | 6:27 | 6:14 | 6:02 | 5:51 | 5:42 | 5:32 | 5:24 | 5:16 | 5:09 | 5:02 | 4:56 |
| 9.8 | 6:07 | 6:23 | 6:10 | 5:59 | 5:48 | 5:38 | 5:30 | 5:21 | 5:14 | 5:07 | 5:00 | 4:54 |
| 9.9 | 6:04 | 6:19 | 6:07 | 5:55 | 5:45 | 5:35 | 5:27 | 5:19 | 5:11 | 5:04 | 4:58 | 4:51 |
| 10.0 | 6:00 | 6:15 | 6:03 | 5:52 | 5:42 | 5:32 | 5:24 | 5:16 | 5:08 | 5:02 | 4:55 | 4:49 |
| 10.1 | 5:56 | 6:12 | 6:00 | 5:49 | 5:39 | 5:29 | 5:21 | 5:13 | 5:06 | 4:59 | 4:53 | 4:47 |
| 10.2 | 5:53 | 6:08 | 5:56 | 5:45 | 5:36 | 5:27 | 5:18 | 5:11 | 5:03 | 4:57 | 4:50 | 4:45 |
| 10.3 | 5:50 | 6:04 | 5:53 | 5:42 | 5:33 | 5:24 | 5:16 | 5:08 | 5:01 | 4:54 | 4:48 | 4:42 |
| 10.4 | 5:46 | 6:01 | 5:50 | 5:39 | 5:30 | 5:21 | 5:13 | 5:05 | 4:58 | 4:52 | 4:46 | 4:40 |
| 10.5 | 5:43 | 5:57 | 5:46 | 5:36 | 5:27 | 5:18 | 5:10 | 5:03 | 4:56 | 4:50 | 4:44 | 4:38 |
| 10.6 | 5:40 | 5:54 | 5:43 | 5:33 | 5:24 | 5:15 | 5:08 | 5:00 | 4:54 | 4:47 | 4:41 | 4:36 |
| 10.7 | 5:36 | 5:51 | 5:40 | 5:30 | 5:21 | 5:13 | 5:05 | 4:58 | 4:51 | 4:45 | 4:39 | 4:34 |
| 10.8 | 5:33 | 5:48 | 5:37 | 5:27 | 5:18 | 5:10 | 5:03 | 4:56 | 4:49 | 4:43 | 4:37 | 4:32 |
| 10.9 | 5:30 | 5:44 | 5:34 | 5:24 | 5:16 | 5:08 | 5:00 | 4:53 | 4:47 | 4:41 | 4:35 | 4:30 |
| 11.0 | 5:27 | 5:41 | 5:31 | 5:22 | 5:13 | 5:05 | 4:58 | 4:51 | 4:45 | 4:39 | 4:33 | 4:28 |
| 11.2 | 5:21 | 5:35 | 5:25 | 5:16 | 5:08 | 5:00 | 4:53 | 4:46 | 4:40 | 4:34 | 4:29 | 4:24 |
| 11.4 | 5:16 | 5:29 | 5:20 | 5:11 | 5:03 | 4:55 | 4:49 | 4:42 | 4:36 | 4:30 | 4:25 | 4:20 |
| 11.6 | 5:10 | 5:24 | 5:14 | 5:06 | 4:58 | 4:51 | 4:44 | 4:38 | 4:32 | 4:27 | 4:21 | 4:17 |
| 11.8 | 5:05 | 5:18 | 5:09 | 5:01 | 4:53 | 4:46 | 4:40 | 4:34 | 4:28 | 4:23 | 4:18 | 4:13 |
| 12.0 | 5:00 | 5:13 | 5:04 | 4:56 | 4:49 | 4:42 | 4:36 | 4:30 | 4:24 | 4:19 | 4:14 | 4:10 |
