Online Tool Store
Grade Adjusted Pace Calculator
Convert a running pace on a gradient to its flat-equivalent effort, so hill runs and flat runs can be compared honestly.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Health & Fitness
Grade Adjusted Pace Calculator
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Grade adjusted pace
5:40/km up a 4% gradient is roughly equivalent to 5:00/km on the flat — the same effort, 40 seconds slower on the clock.
How the Grade Adjusted Pace Calculator works
- Enter your actual pace and the average gradient of the section.
- Read the flat-equivalent pace, which is what to compare against your flat training paces.
- Use it per segment rather than over a whole run; averaging gradient across rolling terrain loses most of the signal.
The method
Running uphill costs more energy per kilometre, and downhill saves less than the uphill costs — the relationship is asymmetric.
effort rises steeply with positive gradient; benefit from negative gradient plateaus and then reverses
At around -10% and steeper, braking forces make downhill running harder again, which is why a very steep descent is not a rest.
FAQ
Why doesn't downhill fully compensate for uphill?
Because the energy cost of climbing is greater than the saving from descending, and steep descents add braking cost of their own. An out-and-back hill route is always slower than the same distance flat.
Is grade adjusted pace exact?
No. Models differ, and individual running economy on hills varies a lot with technique and training. It is far better than comparing raw pace, and it is not a precise physiological measurement.
Should I train by GAP or by heart rate?
They answer different questions. GAP normalises pace for terrain; heart rate reflects what your body is actually doing on the day, including heat and fatigue. Many runners use both.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | A paper log | A subscription health app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handles downhill asymmetry | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Per-segment calculation | ✓ | Whole run | ✓ |
| No device or account | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Uses your own GPS data | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Grade Adjusted Pace Calculator treats downhill asymmetrically, because a steep descent costs effort rather than returning what the climb took.