Elevation Pace Calculator

Why gradient changes pace

Running uphill costs considerably more energy per metre; downhill costs a little less — nowhere near as much less as you would hope. Your pace on hilly terrain is therefore not comparable to flat ground.

The calculator translates between the two: what would your flat pace have been, and what pace on a climb matches your flat pace?

How it is calculated

Adjusted pace = flat pace × C(i) / C(0). C is the energy cost per metre after Minetti: C(i) = 155.4 × i⁵ − 30.4 × i⁴ − 43.3 × i³ + 46.3 × i² + 19.5 × i + 3.6 in J/kg/m, with i as the grade as a decimal (8 % = 0.08). C(0) = 3.6.

The polynomial comes from treadmill measurements at grades from −45 to +45 % (Minetti et al. 2002): it describes how much more energy each uphill metre costs — and that downhill only gets expensive again below about −10 %.

Example: 5:00 min/km on the flat, +8 %. C(0.08) = 5.43. Factor = 5.43 / 3.6 = 1.51. Adjusted pace = 300 × 1.51 = 453 s = 7:33 min/km.

Downhill the model returns correspondingly faster values; in practice technique and muscle damage slow you down, so read the descent value as an upper limit.

To calculate grade-adjusted pace, use the average grade of a segment, not its steepest metre.

What it is good for

Honest comparisons. A slower time on a hilly loop can be the better performance.

And for pacing: holding your flat pace up a climb is paid for later.

Frequently asked questions

Does running downhill cancel out running uphill?

No. You lose considerably more time going up than you regain coming down. A hilly course is almost always slower than a flat one.

Does this apply to cycling?

The relationships are similar, but these numbers are for running. On the bike, weight and air resistance play a larger role.

Which gradient should I enter?

The average gradient of the section you are looking at. The calculator is not built for a whole loop of ups and downs.