How many calories do you burn while running a mile?

I’ve suddenly seen this question get asked a lot both online and out in the world, and as an experienced runner who’s done more research than he should on subjects like this I think I can provide a quick, reliable answer.

How many calories you burn while running generally depends on several factors:

  • Your weight.
  • Your distance traveled.
  • How experienced and comfortable with running at the given intensity you’re running.
  • (of course) how fast and intense you’re running
  • The conditions in which you’re running

But, for real, how many calories do you burn running a mile?

With little deviation… on average, for every mile you run, you’ll burn a number of calories equal to 75% of your weight in pounds.

This can vary slightly, and I mean by a couple of calories per mile one way or another, based on a variety of factors. But on average you’ll burn a number of calories equal to 75% of your weight in pounds (or 166% of your weight in kilograms).

For example, I weigh 163 pounds. Over a mile, I will burn roughly 122-123 calories.

You can consult a slightly more scientific online calculator, like this one, to get a more specific estimate. But you’ll likely find that your results are around the same place.

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