Sport & running
How do you calculate VAM and your vertical km time?
Your VAM in vertical metres per hour from a climb, or the time a vertical km will take at your VAM — the reference number in skyrunning.
Quick answer
VAM (vertical ascent rate) is vertical metres divided by hours — the one number that compares climbs of any length. Example: 1,000 m of gain in 45 minutes = 1,333 m/h. Formula: VAM = gain ÷ hours, and the other way round time = gain ÷ VAM, so at 1,000 m/h a vertical kilometre takes exactly one hour.
VAM (vertical ascent rate)
1,333 m/h
- Your time on a 1,000 m VK
- 45 min
- Level (indicative)
- Strong / competitive
Training paces on the flat? VMA & training paces calculator
⚠️ Mountain effort — a vertical is a maximal effort on steep terrain. Check the weather, the route and your race rules; turn back if conditions change. Indicative figures, not coaching or medical advice.
VAM = vertical metres ÷ hours (1,000 m in 45 min = 1,333 m/h). It is the one number that compares climbs of any length. Levels are indicative and depend on gradient: the same athlete is slower on a shallow climb than on a steep, poles-friendly one.
How it works
| VAM | Level |
|---|---|
| under 500 m/h | hiking pace |
| 800–1,100 m/h | trained runner |
| 1,100–1,500 m/h | competitive |
| above ~1,500 m/h | elite vertical kilometre |
Why VAM and not pace: on a vertical km (1,000 m of gain in a handful of kilometres) your min/km means nothing — the climb rate is everything. Two caveats: gradient changes VAM a lot (the same athlete is slower on a shallow climb than on a steep one), and poles are allowed in most vertical races and used by nearly everyone on steep ground — always check your race rules. Gear that actually moves the needle: trail running poles, grippy trail shoes and a GPS watch with a barometric altimeter so you can hold a target VAM live. ⚠️ A vertical is a maximal effort in the mountains — check weather and route, and turn back if conditions change.
VAM converts into the number cyclists actually train with. Watts per kilogram ≈ VAM ÷ (200 + 10 × gradient in per cent) — so 1,333 m/h on an 8% climb works out at roughly 4.8 W/kg, and the same VAM on a 5% road implies a higher figure because you are fighting more air and less gravity. That is also why the divisor exists at all: on shallow gradients a growing share of your power goes into air resistance rather than lifting you, which is why comparing VAM between a 4% and a 10% climb flatters the steeper one every time.
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Frequently asked questions
What is VAM in skyrunning?+
VAM (from the Italian "velocità ascensionale media") is your average vertical ascent rate in metres of gain per hour. It is the reference metric for climbs and vertical races because it ignores distance: 1,000 m of gain in 50 minutes is 1,200 m/h whether the climb is 3 km or 5 km long. Watches with a barometric altimeter show it live.
Do you use poles in a vertical race?+
In most vertical and skyrunning races poles are allowed, and on steep ground nearly everyone uses them: they let you push with the arms and take load off the legs. Rules vary by race and organiser, so check the regulation before you enter. On shallower, runnable climbs some athletes go without.
What is a good VAM?+
As a rough guide: under 500 m/h is a hiking pace, 500-800 m/h a fit hiker, 800-1,100 m/h a trained runner, 1,100-1,500 m/h competitive, and above ~1,500 m/h the elite end of vertical kilometre racing. Treat these as indicative — gradient, altitude, terrain and pack weight all move the number.
How do I pace a vertical km?+
Work backwards from a target VAM: if you want 1,000 m in 50 minutes you need 1,200 m/h, so check your watch every 100 m of gain (each 100 m should take 5 minutes). Going out too hard in the first 200 m is the classic mistake — the gradient does not forgive it. Train specific climbs at target VAM rather than only flat running.
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