30 minutes of
running uphill
492 kcal 30 minutes of running uphill burns approximately 492 calories for a 70 kg adult, based on a MET value of 13.4. Heavier bodies burn proportionally more: 633 kcal at 90 kg, 774 kcal at 110 kg.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
MET 13.4 × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 = 16.41 kcal/min × 30 min = 492 kcal
Source—2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities—code 12335—ACSM energy equation—retrieved 2026-07
How this is worked out
- Take the MET value for running uphill from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: MET 13.4, the median of its 10 measured variations (MET 8.8–17.5).
- 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 13.4 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 16.41 kcal/min 16.41 × 30 min = 492 kcal
30 minutes of running uphill, by body weight
| Body weight | 30 minutes | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 352 | 11.7 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 422 | 14.1 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 492 | 16.4 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 563 | 18.8 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 633 | 21.1 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 704 | 23.5 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 774 | 25.8 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 844 | 28.1 |
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Questions
How many calories does 30 minutes of running uphill burn?
About 492 kcal for a 70 kg adult at MET 13.4. At 60 kg it is 422 kcal and at 100 kg it is 704 kcal.
Is 30 minutes of running uphill a good workout?
At MET 13.4 this is very vigorous activity. Adults are advised to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, so 30 minutes is 40% 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.
