Running is one of the most effective ways to burn calories: in half an hour you can burn as much as an hour of easy walking. Let's look at what determines the burn and how much you actually spend.
What affects calorie burn while running
- Body weight. The more mass you carry, the more energy each step takes. A 90 kg person burns noticeably more than a 60 kg person at the same pace.
- Pace and distance. Faster and longer means more burned. But roughly speaking, the burn depends more on distance covered and weight than on speed.
- Terrain. Running uphill or on rough terrain burns more.
Calories burned in 30 minutes of running
Rough figures for a moderate running pace (about 8–9 km/h, 5–5.6 mph):
| Weight | In 30 minutes | In 1 hour |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg (132 lb) | ~240 kcal | ~480 kcal |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | ~300 kcal | ~600 kcal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | ~360 kcal | ~720 kcal |
At a faster pace (10–12 km/h, 6.2–7.5 mph), the burn will increase by another 20–40%. These are approximate figures — your actual burn depends on fitness level and metabolism.