Hill pace calculator
How much slower the same effort runs up a hill, and how much quicker down. Set your pace on the flat and a gradient.
- Same effort
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- Difference
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- Hill takes
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- On the flat
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| Gradient | Pace /km | Change |
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How it works
Running uphill costs more energy the steeper it gets, so the same effort runs slower. Downhill saves some, but only up to about 10%: past that you're braking, and it doesn't get any easier. The calculator uses the curve Moonstride's pace guide runs on, so the paces here are the ones the app would ask of you.
Use it to pace a race with a known climb, or to set a target for hill repeats. For a whole route, theroute planner colours every hill by gradient and allows for each of them in the time.
Questions
How much slower should I run uphill?
About 7% slower on a 2% gradient, 19% on 5% and 34% on 8%, for the same effort. On a 5:00 per kilometre flat pace, a 5% climb runs at about 5:56.
How much quicker is running downhill?
Less than you lose going up: about 5% quicker on a 2% descent and 13% on 6%. Past about 10% downhill you don't get any quicker for the same effort, because you're braking to stay in control.
Should I run hills by pace or by effort?
By effort. Hold the pace you'd run on the flat and a climb pushes you into a harder effort than the run is meant to be, which adds up over a hilly route. Ease off going up, and let the descents give some of it back.
Where do the numbers come from?
It's the curve Moonstride's pace guide uses: running uphill costs more energy the steeper it gets, and downhill saves some until it gets steep enough that you're braking. It's an average: strong climbers lose less, and heavy runners lose more.
How long will a hilly route take?
Draw it in the route planner: it allows for every climb and descent along the way, at your easy pace, and shows how far the route feels on the flat.
More free tools
- Route plannerDraw a run or get loops from your door, every hill coloured by gradient.
- Pace calculatorPace from a distance and time, a finish time from a pace, or how far you'll get.
- Race time predictorWhat a recent race says you can run from the mile to the marathon, and your training paces.
- GPX viewerOpen a GPX file and see its distance, climbs and elevation profile.
Let it do the sums
Moonstride's pace guide does this live: your iPhone's barometer spots a climb, and the voice in your ear eases your target before you get there.
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