How many calories does running a mile burn? Enter your weight and pace for an instant, accurate result.
| Weight | Calories / mile | 10 min/mile pace |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | ~85 cal | ~85 |
| 140 lbs (64 kg) | ~99 cal | ~99 |
| 154 lbs (70 kg) | ~109 cal | ~109 |
| 180 lbs (82 kg) | ~127 cal | ~127 |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | ~142 cal | ~142 |
| 220 lbs (100 kg) | ~156 cal | ~156 |
Running a mile burns approximately 80–160 calories depending on body weight. The popular rule of thumb — "about 1 calorie per pound per mile" — is surprisingly accurate. A 154 lb (70 kg) runner burns roughly 100–110 calories per mile at moderate pace.
Running a mile fast (7 min/mile) vs slow (12 min/mile) burns almost the same total calories. The higher MET of fast running is offset by the shorter duration. What actually changes your calorie burn is body weight — a 200 lb runner burns ~40% more calories per mile than a 140 lb runner at the same pace.
Using the 1 cal/lb/mile rule: a 150 lb person needs ~3.3 miles; a 200 lb person needs ~2.5 miles; a 120 lb person needs ~4.2 miles. Running more miles is more effective than running faster for maximizing total calorie burn.
1 mile = 1.609 km. If you burn 100 calories per mile, you burn ~62 calories per km. Use our running calorie calculator to work in kilometers, or our 5K calculator for 3.1 mile runs.
Here are estimated calories burned per mile at moderate running pace, by body weight in pounds:
120 lbs — approximately 85 kcal/mile · 140 lbs — approximately 100 kcal/mile · 154 lbs (70 kg) — approximately 110 kcal/mile · 175 lbs — approximately 125 kcal/mile · 200 lbs — approximately 140 kcal/mile · 220 lbs — approximately 155 kcal/mile
The "1 calorie per pound per mile" rule is a useful shortcut, though actual burn can be slightly higher or lower depending on your running efficiency and exact pace. Our calculator applies the full MET formula for a more precise result.
One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. Running 1 mile burns roughly 80–140 calories depending on weight. To lose 1 pound per week through running alone, a 154 lb person would need to run approximately 5 miles per day — which is ambitious for most people. A more practical approach is combining running with a modest dietary adjustment. Running 2–3 miles per day (burning 200–400 kcal) combined with a 200–300 kcal daily food reduction creates a sustainable deficit for steady weight loss.
Mile times vary enormously by fitness level. First-time runners typically complete a mile in 12–15 minutes. Recreational joggers average 9–12 minutes. Intermediate runners target 7–9 minutes. Experienced runners run sub-7 minutes. Competitive athletes can run a mile in under 5 minutes. Our calculator lets you select your pace level and shows calories burned along with an estimated time to complete your chosen distance.
For a 154 lb (70 kg) runner at moderate pace: 1 mile = approximately 110 kcal. 2 miles = approximately 220 kcal. 3 miles = approximately 330 kcal. 5 miles = approximately 550 kcal. 10 miles = approximately 1,100 kcal. Our calculator defaults to showing a 5-mile table for the most common distances, but you can set any distance in the input field above for a custom result.