How to Determine MPH for Runners

One way to measure how well you performed on a run is to measure your speed in miles per hour, abbreviated mph. To figure your speed in miles per hour as a runner, you need to know how far you ran and how long it took you. However, exercise caution in using speed in miles per hour to compare performance over different courses on different days. Miles per hour does not account for differences in distance run, difficulty of the course or changing conditions, such as a headwind or a very hot day.

Instructions

    • 1

      Use a stopwatch to keep track of how long your run takes.

    • 2

      Convert the time to hours. Divide the number of seconds by 60 and add the result to the number of minutes, then divide the number of minutes by 60 and add the result to the number of hours. For example, if your run took one hour, 24 minutes and 30 seconds, divide 30 by 60 to get 0.5. Add 0.5 to 24 to get 24.5. Divide 24.5 by 60 to get 0.4083. Add 0.4083 to 1 to get 1.4083 hours.

    • 3

      Measure the distance of your run in miles. If running on a track, each lap equals 400 meters, or 0.2486 miles. If running a longer distance, use an online map to track how far you ran.

    • 4

      Divide the distance you ran in miles by the time it took you in hours to find your speed in miles per hour. In this example, if you ran 8 miles, divide 8 by 1.4083 to get an average speed of 5.68 mph.