15 minutes of
running downhill
165 kcal 15 minutes of running downhill burns approximately 165 calories for a 70 kg adult, based on a MET value of 9. Heavier bodies burn proportionally more: 213 kcal at 90 kg, 260 kcal at 110 kg.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
MET 9 × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 = 11.03 kcal/min × 15 min = 165 kcal
Source—2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities—code 12352—ACSM energy equation—retrieved 2026-07
How this is worked out
- Take the MET value for running downhill from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: MET 9, the median of its 5 measured variations (MET 5.8–13.8).
- Convert MET to a rate using the ACSM relationship: multiply by 3.5, then by body mass in kilograms, then divide by 200. That gives kilocalories per minute.
- Multiply the rate by the number of minutes actually spent.
- Round to whole kilocalories. Nothing else is applied — no age factor, no sex factor, no proprietary adjustment, because the underlying data does not support one.
kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × mass(kg) ÷ 200 kcal = kcal/min × minutes 9 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 11.03 kcal/min 11.03 × 15 min = 165 kcal
15 minutes of running downhill, by body weight
| Body weight | 15 minutes | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 118 | 7.9 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 142 | 9.5 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 165 | 11.0 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 189 | 12.6 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 213 | 14.2 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 236 | 15.8 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 260 | 17.3 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 284 | 18.9 |
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Questions
How many calories does 15 minutes of running downhill burn?
About 165 kcal for a 70 kg adult at MET 9. At 60 kg it is 142 kcal and at 100 kg it is 236 kcal.
Is 15 minutes of running downhill a good workout?
At MET 9 this is very vigorous activity. Adults are advised to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, so 15 minutes is 20% of a week's target at that intensity.
A number this clean is a model. It does not know your gradient, your gear, the wind, or how hard you were actually trying.
MET from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical, fitness or nutrition advice. Calorie figures are population estimates and vary between individuals.
