Are you 'above average' for running 5K? That depends on how you define 'average', among other factors such as gender, age, and experience...

runABC coach Alan Newman is a parkrun regular who also enjoys racing 5000m on the track and 5K on the road. It's a fast, exciting distance that must be treated with respect. Go off too fast, and you'll pay for it in the later stages; start too slow, especially in a big field on a narrow course, and you can wave goodbye to any PB ambitions!

You would think AI would have the data. The AI Overview states: "The average 5K time varies, but generally, men finish in around 30-35 minutes, and women in around 35-40 minutes, with beginner times often slower (35-42 mins) and advanced runners much faster (under 22 mins). Your personal average depends heavily on age, fitness level and gender but these figures offer a good baseline for recreational runners."

When Alan concluded his 2024 series 'Coach to 5K', he awarded notional gold medals to male graduates who ran 30-35 minutes and women running 35-40 minutes. Was there a sneaky AI Bot looking over his shoulder as he typed up those targets – we'll never know!

parkrun is a rich source of reliable stats. At the foot of every local event, the average finish time is shown. Alan's home event is Maidstone River Park in Kent, where the average as we enter 2026 is 30:10, compared with the UK parkrun average of 29:34 (for all finishers).

The largest ever study was conducted by RunRepeat, which examined nearly 108 million race results from over 70 thousand events in 209 countries between 1986 and 2018. The conclusion was that the average finish time for a 5K among UK runners was 33 minutes. For men, the average was 29 minutes, and for women it was 38 minutes.

For an analysis of female 5K times, we turn to Women's Health. Aided by Strava data, Women's Health found 30:56 was the average 5K time for women aged 28-43, and 33:15 for those aged 44-59.

In conclusion, it is clear that 30-35 minutes is the average time for a 5K across all ages. So are you above average? If so, well done. If not, keep going, there's a good chance you'll get there. But remember this quote from the Women's Health article: "Comparison is the thief of joy", widely attributed to former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Use the average times data as general information, not a target, and enjoy making your own progress towards your personal best at the most popular running distance of all.

To find a 5K race in your area, use runABC's My Next Race search tool here.

To find your nearest parkrun, or one to visit as a tourist, click here.

Photo courtesy of parkrun marketing