SnapCalorieBurn — free MET-based calorie calculators
How many calories does running a 5K burn? Approximately 260–460 kcal depending on weight. Full table and training tips.
Running a 5K burns approximately 260–460 calories depending on your body weight. Pace has a smaller effect on total calories per distance than most people expect.
The 5K (3.1 miles) is the world's most popular race distance, and for good reason. It's challenging enough to require training but short enough to be accessible to beginners. Typical 5K times range from 20 minutes for competitive runners to 35–40 minutes for recreational joggers. Regardless of your pace, the total calorie burn for the distance remains remarkably consistent for a given body weight.
Running a 5K burns roughly the same total calories as walking 5K — but in half the time. The per-minute calorie burn during running is much higher, but the distance-based total is similar because you cover it faster. A 5K run burns comparable calories to 45 minutes of moderate cycling or 35 minutes of swimming.
A regular 5K running habit — three times per week — burns approximately 800–1,400 weekly calories. For 5K race preparation, gradually increase your weekly distance by no more than 10% to prevent overuse injuries while building the endurance to run the full distance comfortably.
Direct answer: 5 km (3.1 mi) of running burns an estimated 261–461 calories, depending on body weight (180 lb / 82 kg: ~363 kcal). Intensity assumed: Moderate (6 mph, 10 min/mile) (MET 9.3). This is an estimate, not a measurement.
| Body weight | Calories burned |
|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | ~261 cal |
| 155 lb (70 kg) | ~310 cal |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | ~363 cal |
| 205 lb (93 kg) | ~412 cal |
| 230 lb (104 kg) | ~461 cal |
Example: At MET 9.3, a 180 lb (82 kg) person doing approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) of running burns approximately 363 calories: 9.3 × 82 × 0.48 h ≈ 363 kcal.
There is no single universal calorie figure for this activity. At 180 lb (82 kg) and the same 29 minutes:
| Style / effort | MET | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Jogging (5 mph, 12 min/mile) | 8.5 | ~337 cal |
| Fast (7 mph, 8.5 min/mile) | 11 | ~436 cal |
| Very fast (8 mph, 7.5 min/mile) | 12 | ~476 cal |
| Race pace (10 mph, 6 min/mile) | 14.8 | ~587 cal |
An estimated 261–461 calories, depending on body weight. A 180 lb (82 kg) person burns about 363 kcal, calculated as MET 9.3 × 82 kg × 0.48 hours.
About 12.5 kcal per minute for a 180 lb (82 kg) person, or 4.4 kcal per kilogram of body weight across the whole session.
Because the MET formula scales directly with body mass: a 130 lb person burns about 261 kcal here versus 461 kcal for a 230 lb person — a 77% spread for the identical session.
Not by much. For a fixed distance the energy cost is dominated by moving your body mass, so a 180 lb person lands near 363 kcal either way. A faster pace raises the calories per minute but shortens the session.
From the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference database of measured MET intensities for physical activities. Every figure on this page uses that value in the formula Calories = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours).
They are estimates from population averages, not measurements. Individual results commonly land within about ±15% of the figure shown; actual intensity and pace, body composition and fitness, terrain and technique all shift the real number. The values are gross calories, so they include the energy you would have burned at rest.
Open the running calorie calculator to enter your own weight, intensity and duration.