How many steps is 10K run?

More and more people are turning to a healthy lifestyle and want to be as active as possible. One of the ways to achieve that is to track the number of steps they take in a day.

In this article, you will find out how many steps are in a 10K, how many steps a day you should take, and how long it takes to run the same distance.

On average, it is necessary to take 13,000 steps in 10 kilometers of walking, and 9,200 steps in 10 kilometers of running. The exact number of steps depends on several different factors, such as gender, height, stride length, and pace of walking or running.

For example, a shorter person has a shorter stride and has to take more steps in 10 kilometers than a taller person who has a longer stride.

How many steps is 10K run?

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Likewise, the faster you run, the longer your stride naturally becomes, and the fewer steps you have to take to cover the same distance.

The information in this article is based on research published in the ASCM Health and Fitness Journal.

Average walk
(3mph)
20:00 min/mi
12:26 min/km
Brisk walk
(4mph)
15:00 min/mi
9:19 min/km
Light jog
(5mph)
12:00 min/mi
7:27 min/km
Slow run
(6mph)
10:00 min/mi
6:13 min/km
Run
(7mph)
8:00 min/mi
4:58 min/km
Fast run
(8mph)
6:00 min/mi
3:44 min/km
All 14076 12094 12194 10450 8750 6750
Females 14438 12418 12368 10682 9182 7582
Males 13600 11994 11994 10218 8500 6650

The table shows an overview of how many steps you will take in 10 kilometers while moving at a certain speed.

How many steps is 10K run?

What affects the number of steps in 10K?

The main factor affecting the number of steps needed to cover 10 kilometers is the stride length.

The shorter the stride, the more steps you need to take to cover 10 kilometers.

Stride length is the distance from the heel of one foot to the heel of the other foot. It varies from person to person, depending on your height, sex, speed, and running terrain.

1. Height

The taller you are, the longer your stride is, and the fewer steps you have to take to cover 10 kilometers.

A person who is 5’ 4” tall does not have the same stride length as a person who is 6’ 0” tall, even if they are in the same shape. A shorter person has to take more steps than the taller person to cover the same distance.

2. Speed

The faster you move, the longer your stride becomes, and the fewer steps you have to take to cover 10 kilometers.

3. Sex

According to research, sex is another factor affecting the number of steps you have to take to walk 10 kilometers, while it has no effect on running.

The average stride length for women is 2.2 feet (0.67 meters) and for men, it is 2.5 feet (0.76 meters).

This means that women take more steps than men to walk 10 kilometers.

4. Terrain

Stride length depends on whether you are moving on flat ground or uphill.

When running uphill, the step is shorter and you take more steps to cover 10 kilometers.

How to track the number of steps you take in 10K?

The simplest way to track the number of steps is with a pedometer, smart watch, or fitness tracker.

A pedometer is a device that counts your steps, and most smartphones today have this option.

For a pedometer, fitness tracker, or other devices to measure the exact number of steps you take, you need to know the average length of your step and your height.

How to measure average stride length?

There are different methods for measuring stride length.

One of them is to walk or run a certain distance and count the steps. Then divide the distance you walked or ran by the number of steps you took to get your average stride length.

Total distance / number of steps = stride length

Another way is to take 10 steps and measure the distance between the starting point and the ending point. Then divide the distance traveled by 10 and you will get the average length of your stride.

For example, if you have walked 255 in in 10 steps, your average stride length is 25.5 in.

A third way to measure stride length is based on your height. To get the average stride length, multiply your height by 0.413 if you are a woman and 0.415 if you are a man.

Women = height x 0.413 equals average stride length
Men = height x 0.415 equals average stride length
For example, a runner with a height of 180 cm (70.86 in) has an average stride length of 75 cm (29.52 in).

There is a standard estimate that a person’s stride length is proportional to their height, that is, it is equal to approximately 42% of their height. It is not a precise estimate, but most digital pedometers use it.

How many steps is 10K run?

A person with a height of 5’ 4” will take an average of 12144 steps while running 10 kilometers at a pace of 12:00 min/mi, and 6762 steps at a pace of 6:00 min/mi.

This table shows, based on height and running pace, an estimate of the number of steps a person takes running 10 kilometers.

HeightLight jog
12:00 min/mi
 7:27 min/km
Slow run
10:00 min/mi
6:13 min/km
Run
8:00 min/mi
4:58 min/km
Fast run
6:00 min/mi
3:44 min/km  
5’ 0” 12482 10688 8894 7100
5’ 2” 12312 10518 8726 6932
5’ 4” 12144 10350 8556 6762
5’ 6” 11976 10182 8388 6594
5’ 8” 11806 10012 8218 6426
5’ 10” 11638 9844 8050 6256
6’ 0” 11468 9676 7882 6088
6’ 2” 11300 9506 7712 5918
6’ 4” 11132 9338 7544 5750

Average number of steps in 10K walk for women

A woman with a height of 5’ 4” will take 14468 steps to cover 10 kilometers at a pace of 20:00 min/mi, and 12088 steps at a pace of 14:00 min/mi.

This table shows, based on height and walking pace, an estimate of the number of steps women take walking 10 kilometers.

HeightAverage walk
20:00 min/mi
12:26 min/km
Walk
18:00 min/mi
11:11 min/km  
Brisk walk
16:00 min/mi
9:57 min/km
Fast walk
14:00 min/mi
8:42 min/km  
5’ 0” 14818 14206 13232 12444
5’ 2” 14644 13850 13056 12262
5’ 4” 14468 13676 12882 12088
5’ 6” 14288 13500 12706 11912
5’ 8” 14112 13318 12532 11738
5’ 10” 13938 13144 12350 11562
6’ 0” 13762 12968 12176 11382

Average number of steps in 10K walk for men

A man with a height of 6’ 0” will take 13556 steps to cover 10 kilometers at a pace of 20:00 min/mi, and 11176 steps at a pace of 14:00 min/mi.

This table shows, based on height and walking pace, an estimate of the number of steps men take walking 10 kilometers.

HeightAverage walk
20:00 min/mi
12:26 min/km
Walk
18:00 min/mi
11:11 min/km  
Brisk walk
16:00 min/mi
9:57 min/km
Fast walk
14:00 min/mi
8:42 min/km  
5’ 4” 14262 13468 12676 11882
5’ 6” 14082 13294 12500 11706
5’ 8” 13906 13112 12246 11532
5’ 10” 13732 12938 12144 11356
6’ 0” 13556 12762 11968 11176
6’ 2” 13382 12588 11794 11000
6’ 4” 13200 12412 11618 10826
How many steps is 10K run?

How many steps should you take a day?

You probably heard many times the recommendation that it is necessary to take 10,000 steps a day for health benefits.

Where did that figure come from?

The magic figure of 10,000 steps per day actually came from a marketing campaign, not from scientific research. It is actually the name of a pedometer that was sold in Japan in 1965. The device was called “Manpo-kei“, which literally means “10,000 step counter”. Although the name of the device had a strictly promotional function, it stuck around the world and started indicating the daily goal for the number of steps.

Newer research indicates that even 7000 steps a day bring significant health benefits.

Tip

The answer to how many steps you need to take per day requires a more individual approach and should be based on your goals. The best number of steps for you is the one that can fit into your daily schedule and regular habits.

According to research, you can compare your step count with activity level categories:

  • Inactive (sedentary lifestyle): less than 5000 steps a day
  • Light active lifestyle: 5000 to 7499 steps a day
  • Moderately active lifestyle: 7500 to 9999 steps a day
  • Active lifestyle: 10000 to 12499 steps a day
  • Highly active lifestyle: more than 12500 steps a day

When determining the daily step goal, keep in mind that your number of steps will be lower if you run or walk at a faster pace, and you will get a better workout. So regardless of the lower number of steps achieved, you will get a great workout that will benefit your health.

How long does it take to run 10K?

Beginners need approximately 70 minutes (11:16 min/mi) to run 10 kilometers, while more experienced runners need 43 minutes (6:55 min/mi).

The table shows how long it takes to run 10 kilometers depending on the running pace.

Minutes per mileMinutes per kilometer10 kilometers
8:00 4:58 49:43
8:30 5:17 52:49
9:00 5:36 55:56
9:30 5:54 59:02
10:00 6:13 62:09
10:30 6:31 65:15
11:00 6:50 68:21

Use my running pace calculator with which you can calculate the time needed to run 10 kilometers running at a certain pace. You can also calculate what pace you will run if you run 10 kilometers in a certain time.

Read more: Average 10K Time by Age, Sex, and Ability Level


How much running is 10000 steps?

Most people walk or run about one mile per 2,000 steps. 10,000 steps per day translates to around 5 miles for most of us.

How many steps is a 5k run?

How many steps is a 5k? A person of average height can expect to take around 6250 steps over a 5k distance (based on an estimated stride length of 2.1 to 2.5 feet). Once you've crossed the finish line of your first 5k you can start working towards increasing your steps and taking on longer distances such as 10k events.

How many miles is 10000 steps jogging?

An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile and 10,000 steps would be almost 5 miles. A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day. For these people adding steps has many health benefits.

How many steps is 1 km running?

According to a study published in the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, someone of average height and weight will take around 1,400 steps to walk one kilometre at a regular pace. This figure changes to between 900 and 1,100 steps for a kilometre when running, due to the increase in stride length.