Sprint Speed Calculator
How fast are you actually running? Enter a distance and a time to get your speed in mph, km/h and metres per second. Use a flying sprint to measure your true top speed, then see how you compare.
Calculate your speed Measure your top speed By Allan Smith, head coach at Edinburgh Sprint Coach: 4× British Champion, GB International and UKA Level 3 coach. Updated October 2026.How to work out your sprint speed
Speed = distance ÷ time. Divide metres by seconds to get m/s, then multiply by 3.6 for km/h or by 2.237 for mph. A sprint from a standing start gives your average speed, which is well below your top speed. To measure top speed, time a flying sprint: build up over 20–30m, then time the next 10–20m. For a flying 20m, your top speed in km/h is simply 72 ÷ your time.
Sprint speed calculator
Any distance, any time. Choose metres or yards.
Your speed will appear here.
Top speed from a flying sprint
Build up to full speed first, then time only the fly zone. This is your true top speed.
Your top speed will appear here.
How to measure your top speed
A sprint from a standing start includes the time you spend accelerating, so it always gives an average speed well below your top speed. To find your top speed, you need a flying sprint: accelerate over a run-in, then time a short zone once you're already at full speed.
- Warm up fully for about 15 minutes. Top-speed running puts big loads on your hamstrings.
- Run-in of 20–30m, then the timed fly zone of 10–20m, then at least 20m to slow down.
- Time it with timing gates, or film it side-on in slow motion and count the frames between the two lines.
- Three runs, 4 minutes' rest. Your best time counts.
Why your average speed is lower than your top speed
Every sprint has three parts: you speed up, reach top speed, then try to hold it. Most people reach top speed somewhere around 30–40 metres; well-trained sprinters keep accelerating to about 50–60 metres. That's why a 40m time tells you more about your acceleration than your top speed.
How fast is fast?
Rough top speeds from a flying sprint. These are broad guides rather than exact standards: age, size, sex and how the speed is measured all make a difference.
Typical top speeds
Flying sprint| Who | m/s | km/h | mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usain Bolt, fastest 20m (2009) | 12.4 m/s | 44.7 km/h | 27.8 mph |
| World-class 100m sprinter | about 11.5–12 | about 41–43 | about 26–27 |
| Fast professional footballer or winger | about 9–10 | about 32–36 | about 20–22 |
| Quick club or school athlete | about 8–9 | about 29–32 | about 18–20 |
| Recreational adult | about 6.5–8 | about 23–29 | about 15–18 |
Bolt's 1.61-second 20m split is from his 9.58-second 100m world record in Berlin, 2009. Other rows are approximate coaching ranges.
Flying 20m time to top speed
Flying 20m conversions
Seconds → speed| Flying 20m | m/s | km/h | mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.80s | 11.1 | 40.0 | 24.9 |
| 1.90s | 10.5 | 37.9 | 23.5 |
| 2.00s | 10.0 | 36.0 | 22.4 |
| 2.10s | 9.5 | 34.3 | 21.3 |
| 2.20s | 9.1 | 32.7 | 20.3 |
| 2.30s | 8.7 | 31.3 | 19.5 |
| 2.40s | 8.3 | 30.0 | 18.6 |
| 2.50s | 8.0 | 28.8 | 17.9 |
| 2.60s | 7.7 | 27.7 | 17.2 |
| 2.80s | 7.1 | 25.7 | 16.0 |
| 3.00s | 6.7 | 24.0 | 14.9 |
| 3.20s | 6.3 | 22.5 | 14.0 |
m/s = 20 ÷ time · km/h = 72 ÷ time · mph = 44.74 ÷ time.
How to raise your top speed
Top speed improves when you practise running at top speed, fresh, with good mechanics. The key ingredients:
- Flying sprints with full rest (3–5 minutes) so every rep is truly fast.
- Run tall: hips high, foot landing just in front of the hips, heel folding up under you.
- Hit the ground hard: short, stiff contacts. Pogos and bounds train this.
- Strong hamstrings: Nordic curls are one of the most researched ways to reduce hamstring injuries in sprinting sports.
- Stay relaxed: loose jaw, loose hands. Tension is a brake.
Top Speed: the full program
A six-week program built around the flying 20: test your top speed in Week 0, train twice a week with flying sprints, wickets, bounds and hamstring strength, and retest in Week 6.
Top Speed
The 6-week max velocity program · ages 12 to masters
- Measure your top speed: a flying 20m test, turned into m/s and km/h.
- Upright sprinting, frame by frame: the running cycle in six moments.
- Flying sprints, wickets and bounds, with exact set-ups and spacings.
- Hamstring armour: Nordic curls and strength work built in.
- Two sessions a week, every one planned, with logs and a scorecard.
Read it on your phone or print it. Written by Allan Smith: UKA Level 3 coach, 4× British Champion and GB International.
Faster in 6 Weeks, then Top Speed: twelve weeks from the first step to full speed. Save £9.
Train with us in person
We coach at Meadowbank Sports Centre and venues across Edinburgh. Every first session includes a full technique assessment.
Timed 10m–30m splits, slow-motion video analysis and a written action plan.
Football, rugby, athletics and every sport in between, for all ages.
Every Monday 6–7pm: Peffermill (Oct–Mar) and The Meadows (Apr–Sep). £15 a session or £40 a month.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my sprint speed?
Divide the distance in metres by your time in seconds to get metres per second. Multiply by 3.6 for km/h, or by 2.237 for mph.
How do I convert a flying 20m time to km/h?
Divide 72 by your time. A flying 20m in 2.20 seconds is 72 ÷ 2.20 = 32.7 km/h.
How do I convert a flying 20m time to mph?
Divide 44.74 by your time. A flying 20m in 2.20 seconds is about 20.3 mph.
How fast does Usain Bolt run?
His fastest 20m in his 9.58-second 100m world record in 2009 took 1.61 seconds: about 12.4 m/s, or 44.7 km/h (27.8 mph).
Why is my 40m speed lower than my top speed?
Because a 40m sprint from a standing start includes all the time you spend accelerating. Your average speed over 40m is well below the speed you reach near the end. Use a flying sprint to measure top speed.
What is a good top speed for a footballer?
Fast professional footballers reach around 32–36 km/h in matches. For young players, compare yourself with your own previous flying sprint times.
How can I measure my top speed without timing gates?
Film a flying sprint side-on in slow motion, far enough back to see both lines. Count the frames between your chest crossing each line and divide by the frame rate. That gives your time; then use the calculator.
How can I increase my top speed?
Practise flying sprints with full rest, improve your upright running mechanics, add pogos and bounds for stiffness, and build strong hamstrings. Our Top Speed guide puts it all into a six-week plan for £19.
Related guides
Want a higher top speed?
Top Speed is our six-week max velocity program: flying sprints, wickets, bounds and hamstring armour, every session planned and every drill drawn.
Get Top Speed · £19 See all programs