Running Economy Calculator
Oxygen cost of running per kilometre
AI logs your meals from a photo. Diet & workouts in one app.Get the free appoxygen uptake at a steady submax pace, e.g. 40
the steady speed you held, e.g. 12
your body weight in kilograms, e.g. 70
Running Economy Calculator
Two runners with the same VO₂max can race very differently because one wastes less oxygen at speed — that is running economy. Enter your VO₂ at a steady submaximal pace, the speed you held and your body weight, and this calculator returns your running economy in ml/kg/km plus the approximate energy cost per kilometre. Track it to see whether technique, strength or footwear changes make you more efficient.
Running economy is the oxygen cost of running at a submaximal speed — VO₂ divided by speed, expressed as millilitres of oxygen per kilogram per kilometre. Lower is better: a more economical runner uses less oxygen at the same pace, which translates to faster times at the same fitness. Typical trained values are around 180–220 ml/kg/km. Measure at a true steady state and the same speed for it to be comparable.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is running economy?
- Running economy is how much oxygen, and therefore energy, you use to run at a given speed. This calculator takes your VO₂, speed and body weight to express economy in ml/kg/km and energy cost per kilometre, showing how efficiently you run.
- How do I calculate running economy?
- Enter your measured oxygen uptake (VO₂), your running speed and your body weight. The tool normalises oxygen use to your weight and the distance covered, producing ml/kg/km so you can compare efficiency across runners and training phases.
- What does good running economy look like?
- Better economy means using less oxygen for the same pace, so lower ml/kg/km values are more efficient. Trained distance runners tend to be more economical than beginners, and improvements come from training, technique and reduced wasted motion.