What this result means
Hill pace answers a planning question: if this effort costs X on the flat, what pace should I see on the watch at this grade? It is the inverse of grade-adjusted pace and flat-equivalent pace.
Use it for hill repeats and graded treadmill sessions when your plan is written in flat pace. Use the hills board when you want finish clocks and gain across many distances. Treadmill incline stays belt-first for deck grade.
Flat 5:00/km at 5% is slower than 5:00 on the hill. Flat 5:00/km at −5% is faster than 5:00 on the descent in the same model.
A 4:30/km flat target at 8% is a substantially slower hill clock. Pair with hill repeats if you need a session total.
Calculation method
Hill pace = flat pace × (cost(grade) ÷ cost(0)) using Minetti 2002. Displayed pace rounds to the nearest second.
This is an energy-cost estimate for running on a grade, not a muscle-damage or heat model.
The polynomial is for running, not hiking. Long steep descents and technical trails are outside what a single grade percent can capture.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from grade-adjusted pace?
Grade-adjusted pace starts from the pace you ran on the hill and reports flat equivalent. This page starts from flat target effort and reports the pace to run on the hill.
Is treadmill incline the same tool?
Same Minetti model. Treadmill incline is framed for belt pace and deck percent. This page is outdoor or general hill planning from a flat target.
Can I enter downhill?
Yes. Use a negative grade. The model reduces cost downhill, so the hill pace is faster than the flat target.
Where do I get a multi-distance table?
Open the hills board. It uses the same hill-pace conversion and fills finish clocks and gain across common distances.