determining running speed by steps per minute

brenbrenm

Hello everyone,

I've just started a beginner's running routine, and am wondering how to determine my running speed. On the treadmill, I am currently running @150 steps per minute. How would I translate this to mph? No fancy formulas if possible! I'm just trying to get an idea of calories burned. Thanks!

Mokey41

Your treadmill doesn't have settings for how fast you go? If not you'd need to figure your stride length, multiply that by your 150 steps and that would give you distance per minute. That times 60 would be distance per hour.

brenbrenm

Nope...it's an old treadmill and the computer broke! I'm guessing just measure from back of one foot to front of other? Thanks!

brenbrenm

Ok, I feel like an idiot here! Heel to heel, my stride is around 20 inches. I times that by 150 and get 3000. That times 60 is 180000. If I divide that by 12, I get 15000.. What do I do with that?

dmkoenig

If you're interested in calories burned then forget about complicated (and probably inaccurate) speed calculations and get a heart rate monitor. The amount of calories burned at a certain speed is going to vary tremendously based on fitness, body weight, running form. etc. etc. Once a HRM is calibrated, it will give you a very good estimate of what you are burning in your workouts, regardless of whatever speed you are going at...

MorgueBabe

Man I feel like I'm physics class again.

I'm sure I can figure this out.... give me a bit.
It's really dependent though... I'm sure your stride/speed isn't 100% consistent.

links_slayer

If you're interested in calories burned then forget about complicated (and probably inaccurate) speed calculations and get a heart rate monitor.

^^this

farsteve

Ok, I feel like an idiot here! Heel to heel, my stride is around 20 inches. I times that by 150 and get 3000. That times 60 is 180000. If I divide that by 12, I get 15000.. What do I do with that?

Is your running stride 20 inches? If so then....

Count the number of steps you run in a one minute period, lets say 300 strides in a minute

300 strides/minute X 20 inches/stride X 1 foot/12 inches = 500 feet/minute

to convert feet/minute to miles per hour

500 feet/minute x 1 mile/5280 feet x 60 minutes/hour = 5.69 miles/hour

If you are a real numbers geek, then count several different time periods, 1 minute, 5 minute, 10 minute, etc and then run the calculations to see if they are consistent from one time period to the next.

But all the other people above had much better ideas.

Mokey41

5280 ft in a mile, 15,000 ft per hour equals a running speed of 2.84 mph.

brenbrenm

Unfortunately, I can't really afford a heart monitor right now. Boy, 2.84mph doesn't seem right. I walk much quicker than that! Grr..

farsteve

Are you sure your running stride is 20"?

brenbrenm

It's really hard to get an accurate measure while trying to reenact it on the treadmill

farsteve

Okay if you're really serious about this. Measure and mark a 100 foot long stretch of land, run on this 100' stretch of land and count your strides, divide 100' by number of strides and you'll get a stride length based on feet not inches.

dmkoenig

If you can't afford a HRM, then just run for time and use the general estimates available on a number of sites based on your perceived exertion (i.e. how hard you are working). That should give you a pretty good idea of calories burned without going through the mathematical exercise...

arc918

How about this:

Map out a mile and run outside at a similar effort to get a handle on your pace.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

FWIW: Aside from dreadmills, running is generally measured in pace, rather than speed. So you would run a "12:00 mile" rather than 5 MPH.

brenbrenm

I broke down and bought an affordable, but highly rated HRM. It is the New Balance N4. I was burning more calories than I thought, so I'm glad I bought it! Thanks, everyone!