Treadmill Speed to Pace: The Conversion Chart
Treadmills show mph. Races are run in minutes per mile. Here is the conversion chart, the arithmetic behind it, and the 1% incline caveat.
3 min read
Category
Treadmill
Treadmill guides for beginners: what speed to set in mph and km/h, what incline to use, and how indoor running compares to running outside.
The treadmill is an underrated place to learn to run. It holds your pace, so you cannot accidentally sprint, and it counts your intervals for you. For beginners, whose main problem is going too fast, that is worth a lot.
The two questions everyone has are what speed and what incline. Short version: most beginners jog around 4.0 to 5.0 mph and leave the incline at 1%. The longer answers, including how to find your own number rather than copying a chart, are below.
The real problem with treadmills is boredom, and intervals are the fix.
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Treadmill Running Plan for Beginners
A free beginner treadmill running plan with starting speeds in mph and km/h, incline guidance, an 8-week run/walk schedule, and how to make indoor running less boring.
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What Speed Should a Beginner Run on a Treadmill?
Beginner treadmill speeds in mph and km/h for walking, jogging, and run/walk intervals, plus the effort test that beats copying any number off a chart.
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What Treadmill Incline Should a Beginner Use?
1% is the standard beginner treadmill incline and there is a good reason for it. Here is what incline actually changes, when to raise it, and why steep walking backfires early.
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Running Outside vs Treadmill for Beginners
The treadmill holds your pace and removes excuses. Outside builds real-world skills and is more interesting. Here is which one to start on, and how to move between them.
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