Walking Distances and Common Times
Here is some basic information for common race distances:
Kilometer: A kilometer is 0.62 miles, which is also 3281.5 feet, or 1000 meters. It takes 10 to 12 minutes to walk at a moderate pace.
Mile: A mile is 1.61 kilometers or 5280 feet. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to walk 1 mile at a moderate pace.
3K: 3 kilometers equals 1.85 miles, or 9842.5 feet, or just a little less than 2 miles. This is a common distance for charity walks, especially those with accessible routes. It takes 30 to 37 minutes to walk 3K at a moderate pace.
5K: 5 kilometers equals 3.1 miles. This is a common race distance for charity walks and fun runs (although competitive runners also participate in 5Ks and run them at a fast pace). It takes about an hour to walk 5K at a moderate pace.
10K: 10 kilometers equals 6.2 miles. This is a common distance for fun runs, which may or may not be walker-friendly. It takes about two hours to walk 10K at a moderate pace.
Half-Marathon: 13.1 miles or 21 kilometers. It can take up to 4 or 4.5 hours to walk a half-marathon without stopping, but some walkers can finish the distance in 3–4 hours.
Marathon: 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers. It can 6.5 to 8 hours or more to walk a marathon at a moderate pace, depending on your pace and how often you stop.
Ultramarathon: These races can be any distance above 42 kilometers or 26 miles. The most common distances for these events are 50 kilometers (31 miles) 100 kilometers (62 miles), 50 miles (80.5 kilometers), and 100 miles (161 kilometers).
How Long Will It Take to Walk Miles and Kilometers at Different Paces?
The charts below will help you to translate walking event distances into time, kilometers, and miles at various fitness-walking paces. While there is no standardized criteria for pace categories, studies have indicated that a moderate walking pace is roughly 3–5 miles per hour.1
Fast: 7 minutes per kilometer or 11 minutes per mile
Moderate: 10 minutes per kilometer or 15 minutes per mile
Easy: 12.5+ minutes per kilometer or 20+ minutes per mile
These paces may seem fast, but it is typical for people to walk faster than usual when at a group event or competition. An easy pace will put you at the back of the pack, while at the fast pace you will be with some of the runners and run/walkers.
There are several ways to measure or calculate your walking speed, including phone apps and GPS watches, as well as low-tech options using a known distance (such as around a running track) and a stopwatch. To determine your pace, try a calculator.
