How Many Calories Does A 5K Burn? (And 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon)

How many calories does a 5K burn? A 70kg (154lb) runner burns approximately 300-350 calories running a 5K. The exact number depends on your weight, pace, and running efficiency.

This guide covers calorie burn for all major race distances with detailed tables and calculators.

Calories Burned Running a 5K (3.1 miles)

Quick answer: A 5K burns 250-450 calories depending on your weight.

5K Calorie Burn Table

Weight	25:00 (5:00/km)	30:00 (6:00/km)	35:00 (7:00/km)
55kg (121lb)	254 cal	248 cal	241 cal
60kg (132lb)	277 cal	270 cal	263 cal
65kg (143lb)	300 cal	293 cal	284 cal
70kg (154lb)	323 cal	315 cal	306 cal
75kg (165lb)	346 cal	338 cal	328 cal
80kg (176lb)	369 cal	360 cal	350 cal
85kg (187lb)	392 cal	383 cal	371 cal
90kg (198lb)	415 cal	405 cal	393 cal

Get your exact number: Use our 5K Calorie Calculator

5K Calorie Facts

Average burn: 300-350 calories for most runners
Equivalent to: 1 candy bar, 1 large banana + yogurt
Burns same calories whether you run fast or slow (pace mainly affects time)
Popular "active calorie" target for daily exercise

Calories Burned Running a 10K (6.2 miles)

Quick answer: A 10K burns 500-900 calories depending on your weight.

10K Calorie Burn Table

Weight	50:00 (5:00/km)	60:00 (6:00/km)	70:00 (7:00/km)
55kg (121lb)	508 cal	495 cal	482 cal
60kg (132lb)	554 cal	540 cal	525 cal
65kg (143lb)	600 cal	585 cal	569 cal
70kg (154lb)	646 cal	630 cal	613 cal
75kg (165lb)	692 cal	675 cal	656 cal
80kg (176lb)	738 cal	720 cal	700 cal
85kg (187lb)	784 cal	765 cal	744 cal
90kg (198lb)	830 cal	810 cal	788 cal

Get your exact number: Use our 10K Calorie Calculator

10K Calorie Facts

Average burn: 600-700 calories for most runners
Equivalent to: 1 fast food meal, 1 large pizza slice + drink
Double the 5K distance, double the calorie burn
Excellent distance for meaningful calorie expenditure without excessive time commitment

Calories Burned Running a Half Marathon (13.1 miles / 21.1 km)

Quick answer: A half marathon burns 1,100-1,800 calories depending on your weight.

Half Marathon Calorie Burn Table

Weight	1:45:00 (5:00/km)	2:00:00 (5:41/km)	2:15:00 (6:24/km)
55kg (121lb)	1,070 cal	1,008 cal	952 cal
60kg (132lb)	1,167 cal	1,100 cal	1,038 cal
65kg (143lb)	1,264 cal	1,191 cal	1,125 cal
70kg (154lb)	1,361 cal	1,283 cal	1,211 cal
75kg (165lb)	1,458 cal	1,375 cal	1,297 cal
80kg (176lb)	1,555 cal	1,466 cal	1,384 cal
85kg (187lb)	1,652 cal	1,558 cal	1,470 cal
90kg (198lb)	1,749 cal	1,650 cal	1,556 cal

Get your exact number: Use our Half Marathon Calorie Calculator

Half Marathon Calorie Facts

Average burn: 1,300-1,500 calories for most runners
Equivalent to: 4-5 regular meals worth of energy
Requires in-race fueling for most runners
Burns more than most people's daily "extra" calorie needs

Calories Burned Running a Marathon (26.2 miles / 42.2 km)

Quick answer: A marathon burns 2,200-3,600 calories depending on your weight.

Marathon Calorie Burn Table

Weight	3:30:00 (5:00/km)	4:00:00 (5:41/km)	4:30:00 (6:24/km)
55kg (121lb)	2,140 cal	2,016 cal	1,903 cal
60kg (132lb)	2,334 cal	2,199 cal	2,076 cal
65kg (143lb)	2,528 cal	2,382 cal	2,249 cal
70kg (154lb)	2,722 cal	2,565 cal	2,422 cal
75kg (165lb)	2,916 cal	2,749 cal	2,595 cal
80kg (176lb)	3,110 cal	2,932 cal	2,768 cal
85kg (187lb)	3,304 cal	3,115 cal	2,941 cal
90kg (198lb)	3,498 cal	3,299 cal	3,113 cal
100kg (220lb)	3,886 cal	3,665 cal	3,459 cal

Get your exact number: Use our Marathon Calorie Calculator

Marathon Calorie Facts

Average burn: 2,600-3,000 calories for most runners
Equivalent to: An entire day's worth of eating for many people
Requires significant in-race fueling (gels, drinks, food)
More calories than can be replaced during the race—you'll finish in caloric deficit

Comparing Race Distance Calories

Side-by-Side Comparison (70kg Runner)

Distance	Calories Burned	Equivalent Food
5K	315 cal	1 muffin
10K	630 cal	1 fast food meal
Half Marathon	1,283 cal	4-5 hours of eating
Marathon	2,565 cal	Full day of food

Calories Per Kilometer/Mile

Weight	Calories/Km	Calories/Mile
55kg	50-53	80-85
65kg	59-62	95-100
75kg	68-72	109-116
85kg	77-81	124-131

The per-distance calorie burn is relatively consistent regardless of pace—the main variable is body weight.

Training vs Race Day Calories

Race day typically burns slightly more calories than training runs at the same distance due to:

Factor	Impact
Race pace effort	+5-10% vs easy running
Adrenaline/stress	+3-5% metabolic increase
Less efficient (nervous)	+2-5%
Warm clothing (if cold)	Variable

Example: 5K Training vs Racing (70kg)

Scenario	Calories
Easy 5K training run	290-300 cal
5K race effort	315-330 cal
5K race with warmup/cooldown	400-450 cal

Weight Loss: How Many 5Ks to Lose a Pound?

Since 1 pound of fat ≈ 3,500 calories:

Weight	5Ks to Lose 1 lb	10Ks to Lose 1 lb
60kg	13	6-7
70kg	11	5-6
80kg	10	5
90kg	9	4-5

This assumes running is your only calorie deficit source. Combining with diet is more practical:

5K run (300 cal) + 200 cal diet reduction = 500 cal/day deficit
= 1 lb per week without excessive running

Race Fueling Based on Calories

When to Fuel

Distance	Fueling Needed?
5K	No—body has sufficient glycogen
10K	Usually no—water may be enough
Half Marathon	Yes—30-60g carbs during race
Marathon	Essential—60-90g carbs per hour

Half Marathon Fueling Guide

Start taking fuel at 45-60 minutes
Consume 30-60g carbs per hour (1-2 gels)
Take with water at aid stations
Practice in training first

Marathon Fueling Guide

Begin fueling from first hour
Target 60-90g carbs per hour
Mix gels, drinks, and real food
Plan intake for ~500-600 calories total

Calculate Your Race Calories

Use our distance-specific calculators:

For any distance, use our general Running Calorie Calculator.

Post-Race Recovery Nutrition

After burning significant calories, proper recovery matters:

Post-5K/10K

Consume 200-400 calories within 30-60 minutes
Mix of carbs and protein (3:1 ratio)
Rehydrate with water or electrolyte drink

Post-Half Marathon

Consume 400-600 calories within 2 hours
Higher carb focus initially
Add protein for muscle repair
Continue eating normally the rest of the day

Post-Marathon

Consume 500-800 calories within 2 hours
You cannot replace all calories immediately—eat normally for days
Focus on nutrient-dense foods
Expect increased hunger for 2-3 days

The EPOC Bonus

Beyond the race itself, you continue burning elevated calories:

Distance	EPOC Duration	Bonus Calories
5K (race)	2-4 hours	20-40 cal
10K (race)	4-8 hours	40-80 cal
Half Marathon	8-16 hours	80-150 cal
Marathon	24-48 hours	150-300 cal

This "afterburn effect" adds to your total calorie expenditure but shouldn't be overestimated for weight planning.

Key Takeaways

Weight is the primary factor: Heavier runners burn more calories
Pace matters less than you think: You burn similar calories per distance regardless of speed
Distance matters most: Longer races = more calories burned
Fueling is essential for long races: Plan your intake for half marathons and marathons
Recovery nutrition matters: Refuel properly after significant calorie expenditure

For more on using running for weight management, see: Running For Weight Loss - Calculator Guide.

Visit our Running Calculators hub for all our free running tools.