Running Question, can someone give me a Tip

jcan64

QUESTION: When running what burns more calories, this may be a stupid question but I just want to confirm, if anyone cares to help.


What burns more Calories, Running two miles at 6mph or running two miles between 7mph and 8mph. I'm pretty sure this is a stupid question, If anyone cares to help that'd be great. Thx.

jrich1

My guess would be burn around the same, just the faster would you finish faster so you would exercise less, so I think it would even out.

fennjd

Running a faster pace will burn more calories per minute, but the total time running will be less, so total calories burned may end very similar (or less depending on differences in pacing). If you run a great amount faster, then total calories burned may be more.

Angela4Health

Running a faster pace will burn more calories per minute, but the total time running will be less, so total calories burned may end very similar (or less depending on differences in pacing). If you run a great amount faster, then total calories burned may be more.

This!

skinnypigeon

Not a dumb question, actually a good one...running two miles at a faster pace means you will exercise for a shorter amount of time.

My guess and its only a guess is that the slower speed might burn more calories if you are able to reach your target heart rate at that pace. You will be exercising for a longer period of time therefore burning more calories. I would actually love to get more info on the topic as well.

aejbx4x7s

The faster you go, the more calories you burn. Walking a mile burns less than running a mile. Running at 6mph burns less than running at 7mph, and so on. You can play around with the adding exercise tool on MFP to see an estimate of what the difference should be, though a heart rate monitor (if you have one) will give you the most accurate number.

I think it gets tricky when you talk about time spent exercising. I tend to think of it in miles. So running a mile at 6mph burns say 120 calories, while running a mile at 7mph burns 130 calories (these are not correct just using these numbers as an example). So, despite the time difference, you would still burn more calories overall by running faster. Again, think of the walking example: walking a mile takes longer than running it but you still burn more calories by running it, even though you spend more time walking.

Does that make sense?

jcan64

Thanks for all of the responses.

TS65

I've found that I can go a very short distance running faster. However, if I run at my slow pace, I can go on and on. In the long run, I end up burning more calories because I can work out for quite a bit longer (without my lungs feeling like they are going to explode).

ladybugz_247

faster burns more, your HR shoots up and in return you burn more calories.. when I have ran wearing my HRM I see more calories being burned when I run faster, even though the distance.

kmreynolds11

I use my HRM to track calories burned during runs. I've found that no matter what speed I run at, I still always average about 60 calories burned PER MILE. Of course, if I run faster... I burn those calories faster... if I run slower, it takes longer to get the same burn.