Six miles on the flat and six miles with 2,000 ft of climbing don't take the same time. A realistic estimate needs the elevation gain (the total of every climb on the route) and the average speed of your sport.
This is the method behind the estimated time "⏱" shown in the route search results of Sport Distance Calculator.
Widely used by trail runners and hikers, it turns climbing into extra distance, often called km-effort.
How much the climbing weighs depends on the activity: a lot on foot, a little less on a bike, and not at all for swimming.
Don't know your route's elevation gain? Draw it on the map: distance and elevation profile are calculated automatically.
These speeds are for a regular participant, on the flat and on easy ground. They're the basis of the calculation: adjust them to your own level (see below).
| Sport / activity | Average speed | Added per 100 m (328 ft) of gain | Example: 6 mi with 1,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running | 6.2 mph (10 km/h) | +1 km | 1 h 16 min |
| Trail running | 5 mph (8 km/h) | +1 km | 1 h 35 min |
| Walking | 3.1 mph (5 km/h) | +1 km | 2 h 32 min |
| Hiking | 2.8 mph (4.5 km/h) | +1 km | 2 h 49 min |
| Cycling (road) | 12.4 mph (20 km/h) | +0.8 km | 36 min |
| MTB - Mountain biking | 7.5 mph (12 km/h) | +1 km | 1 h 04 min |
| Rollerblade | 9.3 mph (15 km/h) | +0.5 km | 45 min |
| Skiing | 5 mph (8 km/h) | +0.5 km | 1 h 24 min |
| Horse riding | 5 mph (8 km/h) | +0.6 km | 1 h 26 min |
| Swimming | 1.6 mph (2.5 km/h) | not counted | 3 h 52 min |
| Other activities | 5 mph (8 km/h) | +0.8 km | 1 h 31 min |
Elevation loss isn't added: on most trails, what you gain going down roughly makes up for the time spent braking. A very steep, rocky or slippery descent is clearly slower though, especially on foot or on a mountain bike, so keep some margin on that kind of ground.
The most reliable reference is your own outings: if you're usually faster or slower than the estimate, simply apply the same difference.
Add about 1 extra mile for every 530 ft of elevation gain (1 km per 100 m), then divide by your average speed on the flat. For example, 9 miles with 2,600 ft of gain is about 13.9 "effort miles": at 2.8 mph that is roughly 4 h 59 min of walking, breaks not included.
It puts climbing and flat distance on the same scale: 100 m of elevation gain counts as 1 extra kilometre. Trail runners and hikers use it widely to compare routes with different profiles.
On most terrain, going downhill saves roughly the time lost braking. On very steep or technical trails, descending is clearly slower: add some margin to the estimate there.
No, it is moving time. Many hikers add about 10 minutes of rest per hour of walking, plus lunch.
Yes. Naismith's rule, well known to hillwalkers, allows 1 hour for every 3 miles plus 1 hour for every 2,000 ft of ascent. At that pace it works out at roughly 0.8 km added per 100 m of climbing, very close to the effort-distance method.