Heat & Altitude Pace Adjustment
Heat, humidity, and altitude all slow you down. Enter your ideal-conditions pace and the race environment to get a realistic adjusted pace and finish time.
Conditions
Your pace in cool, sea-level conditions is the baseline.
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How this calculator works
Above about 15°C, pace is slowed roughly 0.4% per degree Celsius, increased further in humid conditions. Above about 1000m, aerobic pace is slowed about 5-6% per additional 1000m of altitude. The two effects are combined and applied to your base pace.
Assumptions
- • Base pace reflects cool, sea-level conditions
- • Representative heat and altitude slowdown coefficients
Limitations
- • Acclimatisation and individual tolerance vary widely
- • A simplified model — not a substitute for race-day judgement
Who this is for
- • Runners and triathletes racing in heat or at altitude
- • Athletes setting realistic goal paces for tough conditions
Who this is not for
- • Precise physiological prediction
- • Athletes fully acclimatised to the conditions (impact is smaller)
References
Related Articles
Continue exploring our comprehensive triathlon resources
Pace Adjustment Calculator FAQ
Scientific References
Evidence on how ambient temperature affects endurance running pace