Grade adjusted pace calculator.
Convert hilly running pace into the flat-equivalent grade adjusted pace (GAP) using the Minetti energy-cost model — the same approach Strava uses. Pace your climbs honestly.
Same effort across grades
If your actual pace is 8:00/mi, here's the flat-equivalent pace at common grades:
| Grade | Cost vs flat | GAP /mi |
|---|---|---|
| -15% | 0.510× | 15:41 |
| -10% | 0.598× | 13:23 |
| -7% | 0.688× | 11:38 |
| -5% | 0.763× | 10:29 |
| -3% | 0.849× | 9:25 |
| -1% | 0.947× | 8:27 |
| 0% | 1.000× | 8:00 |
| +1% | 1.055× | 7:35 |
| +3% | 1.174× | 6:49 |
| +5% | 1.301× | 6:09 |
| +7% | 1.438× | 5:34 |
| +10% | 1.658× | 4:50 |
| +15% | 2.060× | 3:53 |
How GAP works
Running uphill costs more energy than running on flat ground; running gently downhill costs less, and steep downhills cost more again because of braking. The Minetti polynomial fits oxygen-cost data across grades from −45% to +45% and is the standard model used by Strava, TrainingPeaks and most GPS platforms.
We divide your actual pace by the energy multiplier for that grade. A 5% climb has a multiplier of about 1.29×, so an 8:00/mi climb is roughly equivalent to a 6:12/mi flat effort.
Frequently asked
What is grade adjusted pace (GAP)?
Grade adjusted pace is your running pace normalized as if you ran on flat ground. It uses the energy cost of running up or down a slope (Minetti et al.) to translate hilly pace into an equivalent flat pace so you can compare efforts fairly.
How is GAP calculated?
We use the Minetti cost-of-running polynomial: C(g) = 155.4·g⁵ − 30.4·g⁴ − 43.3·g³ + 46.3·g² + 19.5·g + 3.6, normalized by C(0) = 3.6. The multiplier converts actual pace at a given grade into an equivalent flat (0%) pace.
Is grade adjusted pace the same as Strava GAP?
Strava uses an internal polynomial derived from the same Minetti energy-cost model. The values match within a few seconds per mile across realistic grades (−20% to +20%).
How accurate is GAP on long descents?
Energy-cost models capture metabolic cost but not the eccentric muscle damage from steep descents. GAP under-rates how hard a long downhill actually is on your quads — use it as a pacing tool, not a recovery tool.
Should I train by GAP or by actual pace?
Train hill workouts by effort and GAP — it keeps you from blowing up on climbs. For threshold and intervals on rolling terrain, GAP is the honest yardstick. For race pacing on a known course (Boston, NYC), study the elevation profile and pre-plan splits.
Jack Daniels VDOT: The Complete Guide
Translate one race result into training paces across all five intensities.
Marathon Pace: Picking a Goal You Can Actually Run
Pair GAP with VDOT to nail a hilly marathon goal pace.
Zone 2: Why Slow Training Builds Fast Athletes
Easy hill running should stay easy — that's where GAP earns its keep.
Breno MeloHead Coach · USA Triathlon, Road Runners Club of America, TrainingPeaksEmail me my GAP conversions
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Minetti energy cost of gradient running
Cr(i) = 155.4i⁵ − 30.4i⁴ − 43.3i³ + 46.3i² + 19.5i + 3.6 (J·kg⁻¹·m⁻¹, i = gradient) GAP = flat-equivalent pace at equal metabolic cost.
- Metabolic cost, not mechanical damage, is what makes a hill hard.
- The gradient is sustained, not a sequence of short rollers.
- Downhill running beyond about −20% is not covered; the polynomial was fitted to −45% to +45% on a treadmill.
- It ignores eccentric muscle damage, which is why a downhill marathon wrecks quadriceps despite a fast GAP.
- Trail surface, technicality and footing are not modelled at all.
Ten well-trained mountain runners on a treadmill at gradients from −45% to +45%. A small, highly specific cohort.
Formula, constants and cited sources last verified on . Spotted something wrong? Email breno@brenoamelo.com and it gets corrected and dated.
How grade adjusted pace is calculated
Minetti's fifth-order polynomial gives the metabolic cost of running at any gradient from -45% to +45%, measured in a lab on a treadmill.
Your pace is scaled by the ratio of that cost to the flat cost, producing the flat pace that would have cost the same energy.
Downhills get cheaper only to about -20%, after which braking costs rise again — which is why the curve turns back up and why steep descents wreck quads.
References
Every physiological claim on this page traces to one of the primary sources below — the original paper, textbook or governing-body standard, not a secondary write-up.
Using this page in your own work?
Copy a formatted reference below. If you are quoting a number from this page, please link back to it so readers can check the source and the date it was last reviewed.
Breno Melo, "Grade Adjusted Pace Calculator — Breno Melo Endurance Coaching", Breno Melo Endurance Coaching (last reviewed 26 April 2026). https://www.brenoamelo.com/calculators/grade-adjusted-pace
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