Average time for 5K

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  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
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    I am a beginner and I do a 5k in 40mins...hope to do it under 30 one day!
  • defygravity531
    defygravity531 Posts: 289 Member
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    I've done 1 5k, I finished in 44.30. I walked some. I hope to be able to run it in less than 30 some day!!
  • chango69
    chango69 Posts: 39
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    My first 5k I did it in 39:46, which I gave myself 45:00 so I did a lot better then what I gave myself, the second 5K my time was 36:52. The thing was that one race was up hill and the other one was more flat. I say train on the treadmill see what an average time is on that then go from there. My next 5k is Sunday and I am hoping to be under the 36-mint time. So best of luck to you.
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
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    I might be fairly average lol... I got to week 9 day 1 of C25K when I ran my first race and I ran a 34:20
  • personalrecords
    personalrecords Posts: 1
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    Yesterday at cross country i ran a 17:31min 5k which was a little tough but i think you could easly run a sub 20min 5k just have a rough pace of 6:35ish per mile
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Yesterday at cross country i ran a 17:31min 5k which was a little tough but i think you could easly run a sub 20min 5k just have a rough pace of 6:35ish per mile

    under 20 is "slow" for cross country and track runners, but that is pretty fast for most middle aged recreational joggers and other adult on-set runners
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
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    My last 5K took me 34 minutes, but I'm twice as old as you, so you can probably run it in half the time. :wink:
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Most people that start running do an aprox. 10 min mile which will put you roughly at 30 min for 3 miles (5K). Good luck!

    Huh, I must be waaaayyyyy off average then. When I started I was much slower than this, and I'd rarely do 5k in less than 30 mins even after 18 months of running. It is a bit hard to tell though, because I train for longer distances so I'm not really focussed on speed and I try not to go out too fast at the beginning.

    OP, my suggestion is that you work on getting used to comfortably covering the distance and don't focus on speed. Trying to go too fast before you are fit or strong enough is putting you at major risk of injury. In your first race you are always going to do a PB - so enjoy your training, enjoy your race and don't worry about speed just yet.
  • Darmonatrix
    Darmonatrix Posts: 35
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    well ive been running for a while now and im still at 45 mins. sometimes 39 on a good day. im usually last on most times, but hey - im moving faster than when i was sat on my couch.
  • quadbravo
    quadbravo Posts: 2
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    Under "20" is slow for XC? Really? This tells me you never ran in HS or college. At a HS XC meet you might see the very fastest varsity runner come in at the high 14's /low 15's. These are extremely fast times and worthy of collegiate scholarships. At the frosh level you will see most of the pack come in around 18-19 min. A frosh winning time would be in low 17's. These super-fit times. At the age of 28 I ran an 18 min 5K but I ran in HS at the 16 min level. Trained every day for years.

    When we talk about "average times" there are two kinds of average. The average runner or the average person. The average person doesn't run so taking a 50 year old guy with no athletic background would put him around the 45 min mark for a 5K. Just my estimate. Athletes, and former athletes, make up the bulk of the 5K world. 50 year old winning times are around 21-22 min. Middle of the pack would be around 25 min. The slower end is usually upper 20's lower 30's. But be mindful, none of those guys are really average in the larger sense of the word.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    The average time you should be running a 5k in is the average time that -you- can run a 5k in. Never judge yourself among others, run for yourself.
  • alice179
    alice179 Posts: 9
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    I ran my first 5k yesterday in 32.35, which I was really pleased with! Unfortunately I think I picked a race that attracted very fit people because I was one of the slowest runners there.. But I was still really excited with my score, I think the key is to ignore everyone else's times and just focus on your own. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to finish in under 30!
  • jar1854
    jar1854 Posts: 3 Member
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    There is no average time for a 5k. Best advice I can give you is to figure out what time you are currently running for a 5k and work to improve your time to meet your own personal goals. Don't compare your times to others :)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    In my area "average" 5k times are between 14 and 75 minutes. Aim for something in that range and you'll be fine. It really is about you and what pace you can run. You are racing against yourself (unless you're in the 14min category). Just go out, run, have fun. That's the pace you should be working for-whatever that pace happens to be.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    The average time you should be running a 5k in is the average time that -you- can run a 5k in. Never judge yourself among others, run for yourself.

    ^^ This; compete against yourself not others. There are going to be runners that are faster than you and runners that are slower than you. Always put forth your best effort and if you are racing...try to beat your last best time. If you put forth your best effort...you're a winner.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    The overall average in most local races is around 30 minutes.
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    My first 5 I trained for in 2 months and finished it in 34:04 - suffered a few knee injuries a few months later and my times were between 40-42 minutes. My latest 'easy" run at a 5K distance was done in 37:41 - with my guide having us walk a few hundred meters for lack of motivation so could have been faster...

    If you run/walk it and do shorter intervals like say 8 min walk, 1 min run or whatever feels comfortable to you you will have a faster time than if you run it straight through as the walk break will give you time to recharge a bit. If you do a walk/run stick with that for your training and try going straight-through when training after the race for next time.

    And if you can; assuming you have so far been doing all of your training indoors go run outside rain or shine (running in the rain is pretty fun!) Treadmill running and road running are VERY different from one another so if you have 2 months or so before race day is a perfect time to transition to outside.

    Any run can be slower or faster...Depends on if you prepared for conditions, how you're feeling that day, if the course is hilly and you didn't prep for that etc. just have fun, and set yourself a goal. If you don't reach that goal then use the time you got and strive to get a better time than the one you just did. Just enjoy the experience...The people, the cheering, birds singing, etc!

    In running/racing you may think you're competing against others...But unless you're in a SUPER competitive program such as Olympics of some kind or whatnot...You're really just competing against YOURSELF so don't focus on others...just focus on YOU and you'll do great!
  • tanetti
    tanetti Posts: 38 Member
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    Oh yeah, times are all over the place. My first 5K about a year ago was 34 minutes (though when it's really hot/humid here in Houston, it can be a struggle to finish in 37 minutes!). Through speedwork and a little weight loss, I did 30:32 yesterday. But a friend started running a few months ago and immediately was at an effortless 9-minute/mile pace; she easily could do a sub-30 5k. I would say average is probably 25-35 minutes. Good luck! The first one is a great place to start--you can always get faster!
  • canelly
    canelly Posts: 731 Member
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    My first 5k on October of last year I ran it at 47min. Today I ran it at 27 min!!! So it depends on you.
  • amanda_ataraxia
    amanda_ataraxia Posts: 400 Member
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    Around 30 minutes is average and definitely respectable, especially when being a beginner.

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