If you are like most runners, you do most of your running on routes with known distances. Calculating your mileage is a simple matter of adding up the distance of each run. However, it's not always feasible to stick to known routes. For example, you may want to maintain your workout schedule while traveling. With the help of a simple device called a pedometer, you can calculate running miles fairly accurately. A pedometer measures the number of steps you take. As of 2010 many models are available for less than $20 and some for under $10.
Step 1
Use a pedometer to measure the number of steps you take to run a route of known distance. For example, you might run a distance of 1.5 miles. Run at your regular pace over the kind of terrain you usually run on.
Step 2
Convert the distance you ran into feet by multiplying the distance in miles by 5,280. If you ran 1.5 miles, that's 5,280 x 1.5 = 7,920 feet. Divide the number of feet by the number of steps you took to find your stride length. For example, if you took 2,640 steps to run 7920 feet your stride length is 7,920/2,640 = 3.0 feet.
Step 3
Use your pedometer to count your steps when you run on a route of unknown length.
Step 4
Multiply the number of steps taken on a run over an unmeasured route by your stride length to find the distance in feet. Divide the result by 5,280 to convert to miles. Suppose your stride length is 3.0 feet and you ran for 10,000 steps. This is (10,000 x 3.0)/5,280 = 5.68 miles.
Things You'll Need
- Pedometer
- Calculator
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