How Many Steps Are In a 10K?

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 13000 steps in 10 kilometers of walking, and 9,500 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.

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.

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

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 feet 4 inches tall does not have the same stride length as a person who is 6 feet 0 inches tall, even if they are in the same shape.

A shorter person has to take more steps than a 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 cover 10 kilometers.

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 cover 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 device 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 inches in 10 steps, your average stride length is 25.5 inches.

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 65 inches has an average stride length of 26.84 inches.

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 are in a 10K run?

A person with a height of 5 feet 4 inches 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 minutes per mile.

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

The average number of steps in 10K walk for women

A woman with a height of 5 feet 4 inches 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 minutes per mile.

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

The average number of steps in 10K walk for men

A man with a height of 6 feet 0 inches 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 minutes per mile.

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

How many steps a day should you take?

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 (average running pace 11:16 minutes per mile) to run 10 kilometers, while more experienced runners need 43 minutes (average running pace 6:55 minutes per mile).

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

Use my running pace calculator with which you can calculate the time needed to run 10 kilometers 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