How to calculate average speed
This page answers one question: how fast was the complete run, walk, ride, or trip on average? Enter the measured distance and the total elapsed time, then choose the speed unit for the result. The calculator converts the units before dividing distance by time. It does not track a route, measure moment-by-moment speed, or estimate traffic and training conditions.
Step by step
- Enter the running distance.
- Enter the total elapsed time in hours, minutes, and seconds.
- Choose the distance unit and the result unit.
- Select Calculate. The speed or pace result appears below the button.
- Use Clear beside distance or time to clear only that input; selected units stay in place.
- Changing an input clears the old result, so select Calculate again after editing.
Average-speed formula and unit conversion
Average speed equals distance divided by elapsed time: speed = distance ÷ elapsed time. Distance, speed, and time are related, but this page applies only that average-speed form of the relationship. It does not provide fields for using a known speed to solve for distance or time.
Internally, the selected distance is converted to metres and elapsed time is converted to seconds. The result in metres per second is then converted to km/h, mph, m/s, or ft/s. The displayed number describes the complete measurement; individual sections may have been faster or slower.
Example: calculate average speed
A run covers 15 kilometres in 1 hour 30 minutes. Enter 15 km and an elapsed time of 1 hour 30 minutes, choose km/h, then calculate. The time is 1.5 hours, so 15 ÷ 1.5 = 10 km/h.
For a mixed-unit example, 3 miles in 24 minutes is 7.5 mph. Choose km/h instead and calculate again to display about 12.07 km/h. The underlying conversion uses 1 mile = 1.609344 kilometres.
Another speed example
A runner covers 400 metres in 1 minute 40 seconds. Enter 400 m and an elapsed time of 1 minute 40 seconds, choose m/s, and calculate. One minute 40 seconds is 100 seconds, so the average is 4 m/s.
Choose km/h for the same inputs and calculate again to display 14.4 km/h. Changing the result unit clears the previous confirmation, so Calculate is used again with the unchanged distance and elapsed time.
Valid input, zero values, and supported range
- Distance accepts non-negative whole numbers or decimals without a unit symbol in the number box.
- Elapsed-time hours, minutes, and seconds use whole numbers. Minutes and seconds must each be from 0 to 59.
- Average speed requires positive distance and positive elapsed time. Zero distance or zero elapsed time does not produce a meaningful running-speed result on this page.
- Values that overflow the supported numeric range during unit conversion are rejected instead of being displayed as infinity or a false zero.
- Displayed speed uses up to two decimal places; very small positive values use significant digits so they do not appear as zero.
Units and result use
Distance options are kilometres, miles, metres, and feet. Speed options are kilometres per hour, miles per hour, metres per second, and feet per second. Select the unit that matches the value you have; the calculator handles cross-unit conversion.
The result can be copied manually from the highlighted panel. It is a one-time browser calculation: values are not saved as a trip, sent to a map, or used to create a schedule. Keep additional precision in your source data if the result will feed another calculation.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my old answer disappear? Editing any input or unit makes the previous calculation unconfirmed, so the page clears it before a new calculation. Can I enter 1:30 in one box? No; enter 1 in hours and 30 in minutes. Is speed the same as velocity? Not here—this calculator uses scalar average speed and does not include direction. Why can another result differ slightly? The other source may round unit conversions or intermediate values at a different step. Does this page estimate driving or exercise conditions? No; it performs the stated distance–time arithmetic only.