Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
What is a good/average time for a 3K, 5K and 10K?
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Well done janet that is a great time, i know some younger people who couldnt run that,. i take my hat off to you, Like you i have only been running just over two years and im 48, i have now completed 3 marathons and 3 half marathons, im off to valencia in november to do a full marathon, keep up the good work and you will feel so much better for it, once again Well done.
I know what a good time is for a certain distance for me, just by feel. If it's quicker that I last ran it and I know I gave it everything to get that time and I prepared as well as my I feasibly could, then that's a good time.
I'm still trying to crack a 2h half. That's not a quick time by general standards but, having run three of them in just over 2hrs, I will be over the moon if I manage it, and will consider it a bloody brilliant time. That's not to say I think it would be a particularly difficult thing for many people to do and it's definitely doable for me if I put in the training, just that my goals are to keep improving and get fitter, so any time that reflects that is a good one.
Surely one good tool for deciding what a good time is, is the Age Grading system.. There are several tools out there, but why not look at the Runner's World one.. here
http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/agegradingcalculator/0,7977,s6-238-277-415-0,00.html
This allows you to input your gender and race distance/times, and it gives that performance a percentage rating... 100%= World Class... 70% Regional Class 60% = Local Class.... with other scores inbetween.
For example, Janet, post #61... with a 10K time of 00:58:04 for a 56yr old women. That scores 64.6%, which is excellent for someone who's only been running for a short time, and achieved all that weight loss. I think the time would already mark you her out as a pretty decent club runner.
So to answer the question from the OP - I say that you can input your achieved times for 3K, 5K and 10K - and maybe also some 'target' times, and play around with it, to get a sense of average/good times.
This thread is a mere 7 years old.
But reading back, it's quite funny how many people have ignored that the question of "good/average" time came from a female newbie, and instead have answered their own question, of what's a good time for a hard training, male club runner between 18-40.
2 entirely different questions.
Thanks Run Wales that's really good to know, and I will have a look at the Age Grading System you suggest.
Being 41 I resent the inference here, Stevie!
Simply the age of a "senior male" rather than Vet Ratzy.
I should have put 18-39 in fairness.
I have recently started running approx 3 weeks now. I have entered to do a 3k park run to give me a baseline Goal with a view of working on my endurance etc... I am a complete beginner and was wondering is completing the run within 40mins to start with okay for my age 46. I'm not worried about what others are doing it a personal achievement and something I am currently enjoying. Any thoughts welcome. Ali
Please excuse typos
It's a bit "how long is a piece of string" Ali. I am 46 too, and am on the comeback trail following 5 years off running having kids. Looking back to 3 weeks into my comeback, I was running approx. 39 mins for 3 miles, (I'm assuming you meant 3 miles/5k as that's the standard parkrun distance). My time is now around 32 mins (after a patchy year and a half training).
A quick look at a couple of parkrun results show times from 16 minutes up to 50 minutes.
So all in all, 40 mins sounds like a reasonable target, and as you say, gives a benchmark for your future improvement.
I thought the real answer to for any runner is....
Good time? Anyone racing faster than yourself.
And anyone slower can get to where you are.
I'm probably a martial artist primarily, seeing as that was my first and most constant activity in my life, but I've played football and rugby every year since I was 16 (29 now). I find running at speed isn't my passion or exceptional talent, I'm pure stamina and bursts of explosive speed at certain times. Consequently, in recent times using a treadmill (never liked them previously, big hurdle out of necessity), I find my speed isn't particularly great, by comparison to others. I can run 5k in 30 minutes, no problems, and I can run upwards of 10k easily, BUT, I generally stop timing it because it's a lot more fun just to slow-burn it and run til I feel like collapsing, I feel like the timer actually stops me running as far as I can without it. Massive endorphin high after you run like that, by the way, in case you didn't know
.
Go figure, all I wanted to add was that running for anyone but yourself is a complete waste of time. I don't care what the "expected time" is, I do it because it's a good workout, my body feels great during and afterwards, and when I run any kind of competitive event, it's only ever for charity, I enter kickboxing tournaments, train and play field sports to slake my competitive streak. If you haven't trained much as a runner through the years you probably aren't going to be great at it, but is running all that there is? There are far more exciting and competitive sports out there, and if running competitively isn't doing it for you or your times aren't great, just use it to get fit and join a martial arts gym or get into 5 a side football or 7s/ tag rugby.
As for times, I think 40-45 minutes for a 5k is good for a beginner. 10k is a heck of a leap forward, go for 1 hour and 30 and take it from there. The most important thing is to be motivated, stay motivated, and set goals you can ACTUALLY achieve. Running and fitness in general should be about longevity, so set your goal close to the times you achieve in training, don't just check on a forum and prescribe it to yourself.
JackHarris87 wrote (see)
And it's attitudes like that which make a lot of us too scared to join in.
The point at which a brisk walk becomes a slow jog is certainly an emotive subject.
dont be too scared to join in...but just understand that this sort of time is below average. which is what this thread is about. no problem...i expect anyone completing 5k in about 15 minute miling would understand they are a below average runner. no one is saying dont run or trying to demotivate you/or others with similar times.
Anyway, what's brilliant for me is crap for someone else, and vice versa. It's about getting out there and challenging yourself to improve, using your own times and those around you to gauge how you're getting on.
I'm a 43 year old male runner who is only running since this January and I have ran several 5K races in and around the 28 min - 30 min mark. I am really happy with those times. I am now looking forward to my first 10K in July and I'm hoping to finish in under an hour.
Running is the best thing that I have discovered in years.... I love it
Being new to running and these forums I won't pretend to have any sort of authority, but I aimed for sub 30 mins for 5k and sub 1 hour for 10k. I can only train sporadically and really just run to fun and to keep some weight off. When I go out I either aim for split times below ...., an over all time below...., or a nice slow long run. As long as you are enjoying running and your times are improving who cares?
That's a fair point Norseman, if your not enjoying what your doing in the first place then whats the point ............
I'm not remotely fussed about running times or this constant quest for more. Nor have I yet to enjoy a run. I'm simply doing it to improve fitness in a way which doesn't tie me to classes that work makes it hard to commit to. Don't really find any form of exercise enjoyable but don't like being unfit either.
Been running 6 weeks spent 3 of them injured and not been able to run, can run 3 mile in 19.45 secs.
Do you think I could get it down to 18 minutes in a year if a keep training?. Training for marathon aswell but just run my long runs much slower to avoid injury (not really working).
Im 27, male btw.
Sounds like you have a lot of natural talent in the sport if you can run 19:45 off 3 weeks training. Do you have an athletic background from another sport? Most guys have to train for at least a year or two (some even longer) before they can even sniff that kind of time. I think you could break 18 within six months. Maybe sooner.
What injury did you have? Try to take it easy when coming back from injuries otherwise youre prone to getting injured again. Your bones, joints, ligaments need time to adjust to running so try not to do too much too soon.
5k: 23:00
10k: 48:00
Half marathon: sub 2 hours
Marathon: sub 4:30
Competitive (to win local races or compete to win)
5k: 16-17 mins
10k: 35 mins
Half marathon: 1:10-1:15
Marathon: 2:20-2:30
You will know after that first race (providing you genuinely give it your 100% best) what you may be capable of achieving with more training and can take it from there.
We are all different and you need a point of reference to start with.
If you aim for under 1 hour and achieve 40 mins then you know you can re-calibrate your expectations and training accordingly.
Enjoy your running and you will get quicker anyway.
Too much emphasis on times, at least to start with will turn it into a chore rather than a joy.
Most of us have lives, partners, families and jobs that come first, we can't all become immersed into running, most of us don't have that luxury or to be frank the desire.
Run for fun, keep fit, enjoy it for the sheer thrill of being in the top % of people in the country who can even run 1 mile and relax.
Your times will improve organically anyway and as I said you can tailor your "serious" training runs around your goals as long as they don't totally replace your runs for pure pleasure.
My best runs have been when I'm relaxed and enjoying the thrill of being healthy as I enjoy (sometimes) the scenery.
It's great to be competitive but we're not all like that.
That's my opinion...others are available