Before embarking on a training plan and committing the time and energy to the preparation for an event, we need to ensure our motivation is going to remain high throughout. Therefore  it seems natural to want to know how long it takes to run a 5k.

Clearly the time it does take will depend on the Pace at which you run. The quicker your pace, the faster your time and vice versa. 

The table below will give you an indication of how long it might take to run a 5k. This will be affected by a number of factors so we have an age grade calculator and a race time predictor to give you a more accurate estimate.

How long does it to run a 5k?

What is Running pace?

Running pace is the time taken to cover a unit of distance, normally miles or km. Therefore Running Pace is expressed in minutes per mile or minutes per km. 

This is not to be confused with running speed, usually mph or kph. This is a completely different measurement and not one runners normally use.

What are the factors which affect running pace?

There are a number of differ factors which affect running pace. These include age and gender, running experience and quality of training as well as external factors such as weather, elevation change and altitude. Therefore a good 5k time will be different from individual to individual and from course to course. There is no one size fits all.

How does gender affect running pace?

The differences in the genetics of men and women form a complex equation that relates to the speed differences between the two. The parts which are essential to understanding it in a simplistic way are as follows.

Men produce testosterone which contributes to the growth of bone mass and muscle mass. Men produce 7-8 times more testosterone than women. Women in turn produce more oestrogen which contributes to the growth of fat, particularly in the pelvic area. Basically men are generally leaner and have more muscle, therefore a higher strength to weight ratio than women, which contributes to faster running pace.

Haemoglobin is an element within the blood that helps transport oxygen from the lungs to other organs. Men produce more of this substance than women. The lower levels are compensated for by a higher heart rate in women. The heart will need to beat more times per minute to distribute the oxygen to the muscles and cardiovascular system. These factors contribute to women having a lower VO2 Max capability than men which means men are more aerobically efficient and therefore can maintain a stronger running pace.

How does age affect running pace?

The reason our running pace slows as we age is linked to the differences detailed above. As we age we produce less testosterone and our VO2 Max and maximum heart rate decreases.

We start to lose muscle mass as early as our late thirties if we do not train it. This then leads to a decrease in testosterone as the body is not using it. The best way to avoid this is to undertake a regular strength training regime to ensure you are training and at least maintaining muscle mass.

How does running experience affect finishing times?

It is not necessarily true that an inexperienced runner will be slower than someone who has been running much longer. There are far too many factors at play and it would be a complete generalization.

However, given runners of a similar age and same gender, a more experienced runner will have a better chance of posting a faster time. The accumulated adaptations from training over a longer period, understanding of how to train, better race management, understanding of hydration and nutrition and familiarity with different aspects of an event will all contribute to this.

A running truism is that to become a better runner you need to run more. The more miles you safely put under you, with a variation of different workout types, the stronger and faster you will become.

How does quality of training affect running pace?

Running all of your miles at the same pace on the same route will make you a good runner specifically for those conditions.

For long distance running the 80/20 rule is a good one to follow. Run 80% of your miles at a moderately easy pace with the remaining 20% as more challenging workouts such as intervals, fartleks and hill repeats.

Varying your training like this will ensure you are maximizing your opportunity to improve, becoming faster and stronger, which will be evident in your finishing time for your next 5k.

How does weather affect race finishing times?

Hot weather, cold weather, rain and wind can all have an adverse effect on running pace and finishing times.

Depending on what climatic factors are at play on any given day, the effort to run at a certain pace may be more difficult to sustain over a distance.

For example, if you are running on a windy day, the effort required to run at your target pace will be much harder than when there is no wind. You simply need to exert more effort to counteract the strong winds. The result being that you either need to slow your pace to maintain a level of effort you can sustain or risk putting in too much effort and blowing up.

Another example is if the temperature is too hot. Your body will be working harder to regulate your core temperature. You will start to sweat more as your body tries to cool itself and your heart rate will be higher for the same reason. Your sweat will evaporate at dew point and there are various factors that affect this. These are temperature, humidity and pressure. Different levels of each on any given day will make a run seem harder or easier. A cooler day with high humidity for instance will be harder than a cooler day with low humidity as it is harder for sweat to evaporate.

As the temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit, you can expect to slow 20-30 seconds per mile for every five degree temperature rise.

Another factor in hot weather running is hydration. Becoming dehydrated leads to fatigue, cramps, rapid heart rate and will slow your pace. Drinking before, during and after an event is critical in hot weather. The color of your urine will tell you how hydrated you are.

Running in cold weather offers a slightly different problem. You muscles need a lot of blood flow to feed them the oxygen they require to work hard. During cold weather your body is using the blood to keep your vital organs warm, therefore there is less available for your muscles. When the mercury drops below 10 degrees Fahrenheit you will start to see a noticeable drop in pace.  

How does altitude affect 5k finishing times?

At higher altitudes as the pressure drops there is a drop in the oxygen content of your blood. As we know, oxygen is required to provide the muscles they need to carry out the work we are asking them to do. As there is less oxygen in the blood our VO2 max also drops at altitude, meaning our cardiovascular engine is less efficient, this is particularly true in endurance events.

The result is a drop in pace as the altitude rises. As a generalization you can expect  your pace per mile to drop approximately 6.6% for every 100ft of extra elevation.

How does elevation change affect race finishing times?

It may seem obvious but the more elevation change there is on a route, generally speaking the tougher it will be. This is due to the effects of altitude detailed above and also the additional fatigue from a lot of climbing.

For example, if you were to run a marathon on the flat loop in Vienna used for Eliud Kipchoge’s two hour record it would be a completely different experience than the 26.2 miles route for Salzburg’s Mozart 100, which has 1800m of ascent in the mountains. Clearly, comparing the finishing times of events on such varied courses of the same length is a meaningless exercise.

On the route with a lot of elevation gain, it is not unusual for participants to walk the steep hills. This conserves energy, but obviously slows pace. 

What is a running training plan?

A training plan is a guide you follow to help build the aerobic and muscular strength required to complete the distance you have set yourself. The plan will be set out over a number of weeks, with the flexibility for you to adjust it on the go to suit your lifestyle and time allowances.

The distance you are running and your level of experience will determine the length of the plan and the amount of days per week you will be running. Our page indicating different running training plans is a great place to start and research different options.

What is a good running training plan?

Simply put, a good running training plan is one that gets you to the finish of an event in your target time without getting injured during any part of the process. It will include different types of workouts such as tempo runs, fartleks and easy runs. It will have a weekly mileage that is suitable for your level and you will not need to run more days per week than your body can cope with.

In addition you should undertake cross training and strength training as a matter of course to ensure you are performing as best as you can and practicing good injury avoidance.