Stride Length Calculator
Estimate your walking or running stride length from your height and sex, and get the steps it takes to cover a mile and a kilometre.
How it works
walking stride ≈ height × 0.415 (male) / 0.413 (female) · running stride ≈ height × 0.65 (male) / 0.64 (female) · steps per km = 100,000 ÷ stride(cm)
Stride length scales with height, so a quick estimate multiplies your height by a factor: about 0.415 for a male walking gait and 0.413 for female, with running strides substantially longer. From stride you get the step counts that turn a pedometer reading into distance. These are population averages — your true stride depends on leg length, cadence and speed, and the surest way to know it is to measure over a marked distance.
Worked example
A 175 cm male walker: stride ≈ 175 × 0.415 = 72.6 cm (28.6 in). Steps per mile = 160,934 ÷ 72.6 ≈ 2,216, and steps per km = 100,000 ÷ 72.6 ≈ 1,377. Switch to running and the factor rises to 0.65 for a longer stride and fewer steps.
Frequently asked questions
Step, stride, or gait — what am I measuring?
A step is one foot forward; a stride is two steps (heel-strike to the next heel-strike of the same foot). This calculator reports single-step length, the figure step counters use to compute distance.
Why is my running stride so much longer?
Running has a flight phase where both feet leave the ground, and you cover more distance per push-off. That is why the running factor here is much larger than the walking one, and why the same steps cover more ground when you run.
How do I measure my stride exactly?
Walk or run a measured distance — say 20 metres — counting your steps, then divide the distance by the step count. That personal number beats any height formula, especially at unusual paces.
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Estimates for general fitness and education — individual results vary with terrain, fitness, technique and measurement error. Not medical advice.