Convert Pace from Second per meter (s/m) to other units
Multiple conversions

What are Seconds per Meter (s/m)? A Simple Guide to Pace

Seconds per meter (s/m) is a unit used to measure pace, or how long it takes to travel exactly one meter.

Think of it as the flip side of speed. While you might be familiar with speed units like meters per second (m/s) or kilometers per hour (km/h), s/m tells you the time it takes to cover a specific distance.

Pace vs. Speed: What's the Difference?

Pace and speed describe motion but from different angles. They are direct inverses of each other.

• Speed tells you how much distance you cover in a set amount of time (e.g., you travelled 10 meters in 1 second).
• Pace tells you how much time it takes to cover a set distance (e.g., it took you 0.1 seconds to travel 1 meter).

You can easily switch between them using this simple formula:

• Pace (s/m) = 1 / Speed (m/s)

For example, if a bird flies at a speed of 20 m/s, its pace is one divided by 20, which equals 0.05 s/m.

When is Seconds per Meter Used? From Sprints to Science

While most runners track their pace in minutes per kilometer (min/km), seconds per meter is handy for analyzing swift movements over short distances.

A great example is in athletics. A track coach might use s/m to analyze a sprinter's 100-meter dash.

By measuring the pace for every single meter, they can pinpoint precisely where the athlete accelerates, hits top speed, and starts to slow down. This detailed data is key to optimizing performance.

How to Convert Seconds per Meter (s/m) to min/km

It's easy to convert a pace from seconds per meter to the more familiar running pace of minutes per kilometer (min/km).

The Rule: Multiply your s/m value by 16.67.

This conversion factor comes from the 1000 meters in a kilometer and the 60 seconds in a minute (1000 ÷ 60 ≈ 16.67).

Example: Imagine a sprinter averaging 0.2 seconds per meter.

That's 0.2 s/m × 1,000 m = 200 seconds per kilometer — about 3 minutes 20 seconds per kilometer, an absolutely blistering pace!