How Many Calories Do you Burn Running a Mile?

Running is an incredible workout, not just for building endurance and toning muscles but also for torching calories.

Many people take up running to lose weight or boost their fitness because it’s accessible and effective.

While many believe you torch about 100 calories per mile regardless of speed, the truth is more nuanced.

The real deal? Your weight and running pace influence calorie burn. Heavier runners expend more energy per mile than lighter ones.

For example, a 200-pound runner will burn roughly 142 calories per mile.

Let’s break down what influences calorie burn while running and how to maximize your time on the road (or treadmill).

How Many Calories Do You Burn Running?

The most common figure is that running a mile burns about 100 calories.

But here’s the thing—this is just a ballpark figure, and the actual number can vary widely depending on several key factors. These include:

1. Your Weight

Weight is one of the biggest factors influencing how many calories you burn while running. Heavier runners burn more calories because it takes more energy to move a larger body.

For example, a runner who weighs 150 pounds might burn around 100 calories per mile, while someone weighing 200 pounds could burn closer to 140 calories per mile.

When I started seriously training for long-distance races, I noticed that my calorie burn per mile also decreased as I lost weight.

So, if weight loss is one of your goals, remember that you might need to adjust your diet or training plan as your body changes.

Check the following chart explaining calorie burn for running for an hour at six miles per hour at different weights:

Your Running Speed

Speed plays a huge role in how many calories you burn. The faster you run, the more energy you expend, meaning you’ll burn more calories.

For instance, running at a 12-minute-per-mile pace might burn around 100 calories for a 150-pound person, but crank that up to an 8-minute-per-mile pace, and you’ll burn closer to 150 calories for the same distance.

Plus, faster running leads to Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). You keep burning calories even after you’ve stopped running. I noticed a significant boost in my overall calorie burn when incorporating more speed work and intervals into my training.

Your Fitness Level

Here’s the kicker: the fitter you get, the fewer calories you burn doing the same workout. Your body becomes more efficient as your fitness improves, so you might not see the same calorie burn over time.

I’ve hit this plateau myself, and when that happens, it’s a good idea to switch things up by adding more intensity, intervals, or even resistance training.

Terrain

Running on hills, trails, or uneven surfaces increases the calorie burn. Running 3 miles on a flat surface is relatively easy compared to a hilly route that has you trudging steep ascents.

This is because you have to use more of your muscles to keep your balance and stay upright while running on a challenging surface.

And as you can already tell—the higher the effort level, the more calories burned—simple logic.

Weather Conditions

Ever notice that running in extreme weather, whether hot or cold, feels harder? That’s because your body is working to regulate its temperature. Cold weather can make your body burn more calories just to stay warm, but extreme heat will have you sweating more and working harder.

Gender

While not as big a factor as weight or speed, gender does play a role. Generally, men burn more calories than women during the same workout because they tend to have more muscle mass.

However, this difference is relatively small, and other factors like weight and fitness level have a much bigger impact.

Real-World Calorie Burn Examples

Here’s a quick look at how many calories you might burn running at different speeds based on body weight.

Example 1: Running at 5 MPH (12-minute mile pace), flat terrain

• 120 lbs: 90 calories/mile
• 140 lbs: 100 calories/mile
• 160 lbs: 115 calories/mile
• 200 lbs: 140 calories/mile

Example 2: Running at 5 MPH (12-minute mile pace) with a 5% incline

• 120 lbs: 110 calories/mile
• 140 lbs: 125 calories/mile
• 160 lbs: 145 calories/mile
• 200 lbs: 175 calories/mile

Example 3: Running at 8 MPH (8-minute mile pace), flat terrain

• 120 lbs: 130 calories/mile
• 140 lbs: 150 calories/mile
• 160 lbs: 170 calories/mile
• 200 lbs: 200 calories/mile

How Running Compares to Other Cardio Workouts

Here’s how running stacks up against other forms of cardio in terms of calorie burn over an hour:

• Skipping (moderate pace): 1,000 calories
• Vigorous swimming: 1,000 calories
• Rowing (intense pace): 800 calories
• Brisk walking: 270 calories
• Moderate cycling: 530 calories
• Playing tennis: 530 calories

As you can see, running is right up there with the top calorie-burning activities, especially if you’re running faster or adding inclines.

Tips to Maximize Your Calorie Burn

If you’re looking to squeeze out even more calorie burn from your runs, here are a few tips:

1. Incorporate Interval Training: Alternate sprints and recovery periods to spike your heart rate and boost post-run calorie burn.
2. Run Hills: Adding an incline will challenge your muscles and increase calorie burn.
3. Increase Your Distance: If you’re comfortable at a certain mileage, add a mile or two to your weekly runs.
4. Mix It Up: Switch between road, trail, and treadmill sessions to engage different muscles and keep things interesting.
5. Focus on Form: Running with proper form can help you run more efficiently and reduce injury risk, allowing you to push harder and burn more calories over time.

Conclusion: It’s About More Than Just Calories

Whether you’re a beginner trying to shed a few pounds or an experienced runner aiming for that next PR, running is about more than the numbers on your watch or the calories burned. It’s about the progress, the grit, and those little victories you feel with every step.

So don’t just run for the calories—run for the joy of it, and the rest will follow.

Got questions or comments? Drop them below—I’d love to hear your thoughts and help you on your running journey.