Running Route Distance Calculator
Click along streets, trails or a park path on the map to measure your route. Instantly see the distance in miles and kilometers, plan an out-and-back or loop, add laps, find your 5K turnaround point and estimate your finish time at your own pace.
Last updated:
Click the map to add points along your route. Lines are straight between clicks unless Follow roads & paths is on. Drag a point to move it; double-click a point to delete it.
| One way / one lap | – |
|---|---|
| Other unit | – |
| Route points | 0 |
Enter a goal to see how many laps you need or where to turn around.
Splits
| Split | Distance | Split time | Elapsed | Section |
|---|
How to use the Running Route Distance Calculator
- Find your start: search a park, street or town (or press Find my location), then zoom in with the + button or mouse wheel.
- Click along your route: each click adds a point and the distance updates instantly. Turn on Follow roads & paths to snap each section to the street network.
- Choose the shape: keep Out-and-back to double the distance, or switch to Close the loop for a circuit, and set the number of laps.
- Set your pace: pick running, walking, hiking or cycling and type your pace (min per mile or km) or speed to get the finish time and splits.
- Plan a goal: enter a distance or choose 5K, 10K or half marathon to see the turnaround point or how many laps you need.
- Save it: download a GPX file for your GPS watch, copy the summary, or copy a share link.
How the route distance is measured
Every click on the map is a latitude and longitude. The calculator adds up the length of each straight section between consecutive points using Vincenty's inverse formula on the WGS84 ellipsoid, which models the Earth as slightly flattened at the poles, just like GPS. The totals are then combined with the route options:
- One way = sum of all sections (plus the closing section if the loop is closed)
- One lap = one way × 2 for an out-and-back route, otherwise one way
- Total distance = one lap × number of laps
- Estimated time = total distance × pace, where pace (min per mile) = 60 ÷ speed (mph)
Unit conversions use the exact definition 1 mile = 1.609344 km. The map itself uses the Web Mercator projection, which stretches distances away from the equator, so measuring pixels on a web map would be wrong by about 30% at 40° latitude; measuring on the ellipsoid avoids that error completely.
Common race distances and out-and-back turnaround points
| Goal | Kilometers | Miles | Out-and-back turnaround | Laps of a 400 m track |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 1.609 | 1.00 | 0.50 mi / 0.80 km | 4.02 |
| 5K | 5 | 3.11 | 1.55 mi / 2.5 km | 12.5 |
| 8K | 8 | 4.97 | 2.49 mi / 4 km | 20 |
| 10K | 10 | 6.21 | 3.11 mi / 5 km | 25 |
| 10 miles | 16.09 | 10.00 | 5.00 mi / 8.05 km | 40.2 |
| Half marathon | 21.0975 | 13.11 | 6.55 mi / 10.55 km | 52.7 |
| Marathon | 42.195 | 26.22 | 13.11 mi / 21.10 km | 105.5 |
Finish times at common paces
| Pace per mile | Pace per km | Speed | 5K | 10K | Half marathon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | 4:21 | 8.6 mph | 21:45 | 43:30 | 1:31:46 |
| 8:00 | 4:58 | 7.5 mph | 24:51 | 49:43 | 1:44:53 |
| 9:00 | 5:36 | 6.7 mph | 27:58 | 55:55 | 1:57:59 |
| 10:00 | 6:13 | 6.0 mph | 31:04 | 1:02:08 | 2:11:06 |
| 12:00 | 7:27 | 5.0 mph | 37:17 | 1:14:34 | 2:37:19 |
| 15:00 (brisk walk) | 9:19 | 4.0 mph | 46:36 | 1:33:12 | 3:16:38 |
| 20:00 (easy walk) | 12:26 | 3.0 mph | 1:02:08 | 2:04:16 | 4:22:11 |
Tips for planning a run or walk
- Zoom in before clicking. At street level each click is placed within a few feet, so the distance follows the real path closely. Add an extra point at every bend.
- Use out-and-back for exact distances. Set a goal and run to the orange turnaround marker: you finish at your start with no guesswork.
- Loops are great for repeats. Measure a park loop once, then enter the goal to see how many laps make your 10K or long run.
- Check the route in daylight. Maps can be out of date; confirm that paths are open, have sidewalks or shoulders, and are safe for walkers and runners.
- Leave a buffer for real life. Crossings, hills and water stops add time, so treat the estimate as a moving time rather than a door-to-door time.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the route distance?
The distance between your clicks is measured on the WGS84 ellipsoid (the same Earth model GPS uses) with Vincenty's formula, so the math is accurate to well under 0.1%. The real-world accuracy depends on how closely your clicks follow the path: on curvy trails, add more points or turn on Follow roads & paths. A GPS watch on the same course usually reads 1-3% differently because of signal noise and corner cutting.
What does out-and-back mean?
An out-and-back route is run to a turnaround point and then back the same way to the start, so the total distance is twice the one-way distance. To run exactly 5 kilometers out-and-back, turn around at 2.5 km (about 1.55 miles). Enter 5K as the goal and the calculator marks that turnaround point on the map.
How do I measure a loop or track laps?
Click around the loop and tick Close the loop: a dashed line joins the last point back to the start and is included in the distance. Then set Laps / repeats, or enter a goal distance to see how many laps it takes. A standard outdoor running track is 400 meters per lap in lane 1, so 4 laps is 1,600 m, just under a mile (1,609.344 m).
How is the finish time estimated?
Time = distance × pace. For example, 3.1 miles at a 10:00 per mile pace takes 31:00, and 10 km at 6:00 per km takes 1:00:00. Speed and pace are linked: 6 mph equals a 10:00 per mile pace (60 ÷ 6). The estimate assumes a steady pace and does not adjust for hills, traffic lights or breaks.
What does Follow roads & paths do?
When it is on, each new section between two clicks is sent as two coordinates to the public OpenStreetMap routing service at routing.openstreetmap.de, which returns a path along streets and footpaths (or bike routes when Cycling is selected). Nothing else about you is sent. If the service is unreachable, that section stays a straight line and you can still measure by clicking along the path yourself.
Can I put the route on my GPS watch?
Yes. Press Download GPX to save a GPX 1.1 track of the route (including the return leg for out-and-back routes). Most watch and fitness apps, such as Garmin Connect, Suunto, Coros and Strava, can import GPX files as a course to follow.
Is my route saved or shared?
The route is saved only in your browser's local storage so it is still there next time. It is shared only if you press Copy share link, which puts the route points into the link itself; no account or server storage is involved.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.