The 5k run is one of the most common fitness tests in the world. Everyone from housewives to Special Forces soldiers has taken part in this test because it shows just how much endurance you have. In this article we will discuss an average 5k time for normal folks, like you and I, as well as some specialist populations like CrossFit Athletes, Navy SEALs, and more. Keep reading for all the details.
If you’re anything like me then you’re amazed by how capable the human body is. This is clearly evident in our ability to run at high speed. When considering the average 5k time you really need to narrow down what you’re asking. Do you want to know what an average time is for beginner runners, or perhaps for experienced runners? What about CrossFit athletes, how fast can they run?
Rest assured we will cover several different versions of this question so you can compare your fitness level to several different populations of athletes. Check out this quick overview below.
Average 5k Time Overview
- Advanced runners rely more on anaerobic capacity to run fast
- Average runners use their aerobic energy system heavily
- A New / Novice runner can expect to run between 30-35 minutes their first time
- The current world record 5k time is 12:35.36 (Joshua Cheptegei)
- Most Navy SEALs can run under 22 min for a 5k
- A good average time is between 23 – 25 minutes
Now that we have a good overview of the 5k, let’s cover some of the specific populations, and see how fast they can run a 5k time. After that, I’ll post some of my popular running programs. This will allow you to find a training plan that will help you improve your own fitness. The first thing we will cover is our normal runners.
Average 5k Time: Runners
The first group of people we shall cover are the runners. In the last 30 years there have been over 100 million 5k (3.1 mile) race completion times reported, with a large portion of these in the United States. As such, we have quite a lot of data to choose from. For all of these results, the overall average run time, including men and women of all ages, is 40:41. This time is inclusive of each adult age group.
I’m sure you’re somewhat surprised by how long it takes these everyday runners to cross the finish line. We need to keep in mind that this includes kids under 10 years old, and senior citizens, older than 70. It’s also important to note that average 5k race times have slowed over the years, as less and less experienced runners get into 5 k races. The average finishing time for marathons has increased in a similar fashion.
In fact, according to livestrong.com, the average 5k time has slowed between 10-15% over the last several decades. They report that the average male run time for runners between 20-50 years of age is 34:33. For women of the same age it’s 41:42. This works out to an average pace of 11:07 per mile for the men, and 13:25 per mile for the women.
Now that we’ve covered average runners, let’s move on to a different group of people. Let’s talk about Navy SEALs. Please hold all hair gel jokes to the end, or don’t, it’s up to you. If you like this kind of article, and want even more free fitness programs and articles, put your email address below.
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Average 5k Time for Navy SEALs
If you read my previous article on military physical fitness, then you’ll recall that we reviewed the most predictive characteristics for finishing Basic Underwater Demolition School (BUDs). BUDs is the entry level training for all prospective Navy SEAL candidates. Anyone wearing a SEAL Trident has undergone what is considered one of the most grueling military courses in the world.
In that article I published the chart below. You can see that it’s a nice bell curve of performance, with the average time being between 20:00 – 21:00 minutes. There were around 20% of the candidates that could run in the 19 minute range. Each of these brackets represent a good time for an intermediate runner or elite runner.
You can see that this chart is predictive of finishing Hell Week in BUDs. The black line shows the percentage of SEAL candidates that finished Hell Week, who fell in the specified running time. There is a strong correlation, with runners in the 18-19 min range have roughly double the chances of finishing, compared to an average score in the 20-21 minute range. It’s clear the best way to increase your chances of finishing BUDs, is to run a faster pace!
I’ve seen similar trends trends amongst other military studies. Most ground combat jobs in the military require fast running to excel. While these athletes are incredibly fit, let’s compare them to another group of very fit athletes, CrossFitters.
Average 5k Time : CrossFitters
No one would argue that CrossFit athletes aren’t fit. In fact, they claim that the winner of the CrossFit Games is the fittest athlete in the world. I think they have a credible claim on that title, as they are strong, fast, and well conditioned.
If you read this article where I compared the fitness statistics amongst athletes in the top 10%, you’ll recall that they have some mind blowing stats. Check out this chart below.
This chart was derived from self reported data for athletes competing in the CrossFit Open. It’s stratified by their finish, from 1000th place, all the way up to the winner. You can see a general trend that performance metrics increase as placing increases.
If we limit our consideration to the 5k run times, we can see that for a top 10% male CrossFit athlete the average 5k time is 20:20. For top 10% female CrossFit athletes, the average 5k run time is 23:19. For folks that don’t specialize in running, those are fast times.
If you use data from Beyond the Whiteboard, a popular functional fitness tracking app, that I’ve used for about a decade, we can see that the average 5k time for male functional fitness athletes, of ages under 35 is 25:00 minutes.
Now that we’ve covered regular runners, Navy SEALs, and CrossFit athletes, we have a pretty good idea about average 5k run times. If you’re like me then you probably realized that you could do with improving your own run time. In the next section we’ll review some of my most popular conditioning programs for athletes with all types of fitness goals. The good news is they’re all completely free!
If you want a great all around functional fitness program, then check this out.
Finding Your Best Endurance Program
If you’ve read any of my other programs you know I have programs for athletes of all types. I have pure strength programs, bodybuilding programs, functional fitness programs, and endurance programs. In this section I’ll list several of my most popular programs.
- 12 Week Functional Endurance Program
- 8 Week Aerobic Capacity Program
- 9 Week Sprint Program for Functional Fitness
- 15 Week Lift Heavy Run Fast Program
- 8 Week Running Program for Functional Fitness
Each of these programs is designed to increase your endurance, however, they will do so in different ways. Some of these programs, like the 15 Lift Heavy Run Fast program, is biased towards lifting and sprint interval running. Other programs will include longer easy runs, and less interval training.
I recommend checking out each of those programs to determine which plan would be the best fit for your needs. Of note, I don’t have any pure running programs, as some strength training is a must for general fitness. It has also been shown to be a great way to increase running fitness, so that’s a win win.
If you’re worried combining cardio and lifting will kill your gains, then you should check out this article, where I cover the latest science on concurrent training. It is possible to affect your testosterone, and negatively affect your muscle mass, but that only occurs if you set your training plan up poorly. News flash, you can be strong, jacked, and run well!
If you want to learn about putting together your own program, without killing your gains, then check this out.
Final Thoughts
Just because this is an article about average 5k run times, that doesn’t mean that you can only do running for cardiovascular fitness. I normally rely on cycling for the bulk of my aerobic capacity work, and I just ran my best time in the last several years.
The most important thing is to find a training program that you like, and will actually stick to. Look for something that makes you excited to workout. Your consistency will ensure improvement, provided you eat a healthy diet, and recover well.
I also recommend using fitness trackers, like my favorite Garmin Epix 2. Not only does it track running / cycling metrics, it will help you with recovery, and stress management. If that’s not your speed, then there are tons of apps that can turn your phone into a valuable training tool as well.
If you have any questions or comment put them below. Now get out there and get training!
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