How many calories does a 5km run burn?

At 75 kg and a 5:30 per km pace, a 5 km run burns approximately 395 kcal (1,653 kJ). Lighter runners burn fewer kilojoules and heavier runners burn more, and faster paces burn more kilojoules per minute though similar per kilometre.

Does running speed affect calorie burn?

Yes, but in two different ways. Faster running burns more kilojoules per minute because you have a higher MET (metabolic equivalent), so a given distance takes less time and the per-km burn stays fairly similar. Running faster or slower mostly changes how quickly you accumulate that burn, not the total per kilometre.

Is it better to track kJ or calories when running in NZ?

New Zealand food labels display energy in kilojoules (kJ), so tracking in kJ makes it easier to compare what you burn with what you eat. One kilocalorie equals 4.184 kJ. This calculator shows both so you can use whichever unit you prefer.

Running Calorie Calculator

This calculator works out how many kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal) you burn on a run, using a MET-based formula that accounts for running speed rather than a rough weight-times-distance guess. Choose to enter your run either by distance or by time. For a distance-based run, enter your distance in kilometres, your pace in minutes and seconds per kilometre, and your body weight in kilograms. For a time-based run, enter your duration in minutes, your speed in kilometres per hour, and your body weight. The calculator matches your pace or speed to one of five MET bands, since faster running demands more oxygen and energy per minute, then multiplies MET by body weight and time in hours to get kilocalories, converting to kilojoules at 4.184 kJ per kcal. Results show total kilojoules burned, the kilocalorie equivalent, kilojoules and kilocalories per kilometre, your run duration, and your average speed, so you can compare effort across runs or check your burn against a food label, since New Zealand nutrition panels list energy in kilojoules. This is handy for weighing up whether a run has covered off that muffin or flat white, or for tracking energy expenditure through a training block. Because running economy, terrain and fitness differ between people, treat the figures as a solid estimate, individual results can run 10 to 15 percent higher or lower than shown.

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By distance By time

Distance (km)

Pace (min:ss per km)

min/km

Body weight (kg)

1,653 kJ

total kilojoules burned

395 kcalkilocalories

331 kJ/kmkJ per km

79.0 kcal/kmkcal per km

27.5 minduration

10.9 km/haverage speed

Results are estimates. Individual burn varies with running economy, terrain, temperature and fitness level. General information only, not health or nutrition advice.

How the running calorie formula works

The calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values that vary by running speed. A MET of 1 represents energy use at rest. Running at different speeds has different METs because faster running demands more oxygen per minute. The five speed bands used are:

Faster than 12 km/h (better than 5:00 per km): MET 13.5
10 to 12 km/h (5:00 to 6:00 per km): MET 11.5
8.5 to 10 km/h (6:00 to 7:00 per km): MET 9.8
7 to 8.5 km/h (7:00 to 8:30 per km): MET 8.3
Slower than 7 km/h (slower than 8:30 per km): MET 7.0

The formula is: kcal = MET x body weight (kg) x time (hours). Kilojoules are then kcal x 4.184. For a pace entry like 5.30, the calculator reads that as 5 minutes and 30 seconds, converting it to 5.5 minutes per kilometre and then to 10.9 km/h.

Worked example

A 75 kg runner completes 5 km at a pace of 5:30 per km (10.9 km/h). The run takes 5 x 5.5 = 27.5 minutes = 0.458 hours. At 10.9 km/h the MET is 11.5 (in the 10 to 12 km/h band). Total burn: 11.5 x 75 x 0.458 = 395 kcal (1,653 kJ) = 331 kJ per km.

kJ vs kcal in New Zealand

New Zealand and Australian food labels display energy in kilojoules (kJ), so comparing your running burn to the energy in food is easiest in kJ. One kilocalorie (kcal) equals 4.184 kJ. A can of soft drink at roughly 600 kJ takes about a 2 km run to cancel out for a 75 kg runner at moderate pace.

What affects calorie burn when running

Body weight has the largest effect: a 90 kg runner burns about 20 percent more than a 75 kg runner over the same distance at the same pace. Running economy (how efficiently your body converts oxygen to forward movement), terrain (hills add significant burn), and heat (extra cooling work) all influence the real number. The MET formula gives a good population average; your own burn could be 10 to 15 percent higher or lower.

Related calculators

Calories Burned Calculator: kilojoules for any activity, not just running.
Running Pace Calculator: work out pace, distance or finish time.
Calorie Deficit Calculator: daily energy targets for weight loss.
Training Pace Calculator: easy, tempo and interval paces from your race time.
VO2 Max Calculator: estimate your aerobic capacity.

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