How Many Calories Does Running Burn?
Published 10/15/2025 · 2 min read · Sport calculators
Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per kilometre — so a 70 kg runner burns about 70 kcal per km, or 350 kcal over 5 km, fairly independent of pace. A quick formula is calories ≈ weight (kg) × distance (km). Speed changes it a little and hills more, but body weight and distance do most of the work.
Running burns roughly your body weight in calories per kilometre. Here's the simple rule, what changes it, and how running compares to walking.
The simple rule
As a rough guide, running burns about one calorie for every kilogram you weigh, per kilometre you cover. Multiply your body weight in kilograms by the distance in kilometres and you have a solid estimate: an 80 kg runner over 10 km burns roughly 800 kcal. It is not exact, but it is close enough to plan around.
Does speed matter?
Surprisingly little, per kilometre. Running faster burns more calories per minute, but you also finish sooner, so the total for a given distance stays roughly the same. Pace matters far more for time-based goals — calories per hour — than for covering a set distance. Distance and body weight remain the main levers.
What raises the burn
A heavier body costs more energy to move, so weight is the biggest single factor. Hills, soft or uneven ground, headwind and heat all push the number up, sometimes sharply on a steep climb. Training works the other way: as your running economy improves, you use slightly less energy at the same pace.
Running vs walking
Running burns more per kilometre than walking — roughly one calorie per kilogram per kilometre versus about half that for walking — because the airborne phase of each stride costs extra energy. Walking is easier on the body, though, and covering more distance can close the gap. For pure calorie efficiency per kilometre, running wins.
Worked with our own calculator
Running calories calculator
Given
- Distance
- 10 km
- Weight (kg)
- 70
- Pace (min/km)
- 6
- Average gradient (%)
- 0
Result
- Calories burned (net)
- 700 kcal
- Total, resting metabolism included
- 774 kcal
- Time on feet (min)
- 60
- Calories per km
- 70 kcal
These figures are produced by the calculator below, not typed in by hand — they are recomputed whenever the tool changes.
Run it on your own figures →Frequently asked questions
- Do I burn more calories running faster?
- A little more per kilometre, but the big drivers are distance and body weight, not pace — you finish a fast run sooner.
- How many calories does a 5K burn?
- About your body weight in kilograms times five. A 70 kg runner burns roughly 350 kcal over 5 km.
- Does running on a treadmill burn the same?
- Close, though setting a slight incline of 1–2% better mimics the effort and wind resistance of running outdoors.
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This is general fitness information, not medical or dietary advice. Calorie burn is an estimate that varies between people; check with a professional for guidance on exercise and diet.
Sources
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