5k Run Summary
Here are the highlights of the statistics compiled by meteor.run for 5k distance events:
- The time required, on average, for a woman to win a 5k run is 00:19:12.
- The time required, on average, for a man to win a 5k run is 00:16:52.
- The average woman completes a 5k run in a time of 00:34:32.
- The average man completes a 5k run in a time of 00:29:09.
- The top performing age groups in the 5k run are female 30-39 and male 20-29.
- On average 58.1% of 5k run participants are women.
- The most popular age groups in the 5k run are female 30-39 and male 40-49.
- 22.0% of runners that complete a 5k run will return to run that same event the following year.
Statistics and Charts
Below are the statistics calculated for the aggregate of all 5k events in the Meteor.run system. The figures are based on results from the past three editions of these events. Each card below includes an interactive chart, a brief summary explaining the statistic and a table showing the data. Thus providing a more detailed look into a specific aspect of 5k events.
Top Times per Age Group
This graph shows the time needed to place at the top of each age-group.
Women in the age group 30-39 typically post the fastest times and women in the age group 70-100 post the slowest times. The fastest male age group is 20-29 and the slowest is 70-100.
Top Times by Age Group - Female
| Female Age-Group |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 1-14 | 00:24:43 |
| 15-19 | 00:23:06 |
| 20-29 | 00:20:58 |
| 30-39 | 00:20:49 |
| 40-49 | 00:22:19 |
| 50-59 | 00:24:11 |
| 60-69 | 00:27:47 |
| 70-100 | 00:38:25 |
Top Times by Age Group - Male
| Male Age-Group |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 1-14 | 00:21:24 |
| 15-19 | 00:18:57 |
| 20-29 | 00:17:49 |
| 30-39 | 00:18:02 |
| 40-49 | 00:19:02 |
| 50-59 | 00:20:02 |
| 60-69 | 00:23:05 |
| 70-100 | 00:28:27 |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
Participants by Age Group
This pie-chart shows the percentage of particpants by age group.
There are two charts, one for women and one for men. Hover or tap on the age group buttons displayed below the pie-chart to see the percentage of participant for that age-group. For women, the age group with the most participants in the 5k run is 30-39. 23.9% of all female particpants are in this age group. For men it is 40-49. This accounts for 21.0% of all male particpants.
Percent of Female Participants by Age-Group
| Age-Group | % Female |
|---|---|
| 1-14 | 7.0% |
| 15-19 | 6.1% |
| 20-29 | 17.8% |
| 30-39 | 23.9% |
| 40-49 | 23.1% |
| 50-59 | 15.5% |
| 60-69 | 5.4% |
| 70-100 | 1.3% |
Percent of Male Participants by Age-Group
| Age-Group | % Male |
|---|---|
| 1-14 | 10.5% |
| 15-19 | 8.5% |
| 20-29 | 14.9% |
| 30-39 | 19.8% |
| 40-49 | 21.0% |
| 50-59 | 16.0% |
| 60-69 | 6.9% |
| 70-100 | 2.3% |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
Time Needed To Reach the Podium
The winning time for an average 5k race is 00:16:52 for men and 00:19:12 for women.
Average in this case means that the times listed above will get you to the podium in 50% of all the 5k races. Faster times would be needed to win the other 50% of the races.
Time Needed To Reach the Podium - Female
| Female Rank |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 1st | 00:19:12 |
| 2nd | 00:20:29 |
| 3rd | 00:21:09 |
Time Needed To Reach the Podium - Male
| Male Rank |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 1st | 00:16:52 |
| 2nd | 00:17:28 |
| 3rd | 00:18:01 |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
Top Time Per Decile
This chart shows which position one could expect to finish given ones ability.
Women that can complete a 5k run in a time of 00:34:32 can expect to finish in the middle of the pack, that is in the 50th percentile. Whereas, if one could run the distance in 00:26:28, then one would expect to complete the event in the 10th percentile or 100th place out of 1000 runners.
Top Times per Decile - Female
| Female Decile |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 10% | 00:26:28 |
| 20% | 00:28:52 |
| 30% | 00:30:48 |
| 40% | 00:32:36 |
| 50% | 00:34:32 |
| 60% | 00:36:48 |
| 70% | 00:39:27 |
| 80% | 00:42:57 |
Top Times per Decile - Male
| Male Decile |
Time in hh:mm:ss |
|---|---|
| 10% | 00:21:40 |
| 20% | 00:23:48 |
| 30% | 00:25:35 |
| 40% | 00:27:17 |
| 50% | 00:29:09 |
| 60% | 00:31:15 |
| 70% | 00:33:56 |
| 80% | 00:37:16 |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
Ratio of Female to Male Participants
58.1% of all 5k run participants are women.
Hover over or tap the female and male buttons below the pie-chart to see the figures.
Percent of Female Participants by Age-Group
| Gender | % of Participants |
|---|---|
| Female | 58.1% |
| Male | 41.9% |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
Ratio of Returning to New Participants
22.0% of all 5k run participants will return to that same event the following year.
Hover over or tap the "New" and "Returning" buttons below the pie-chart to see the figures.
Returning to New Participants
| % of Participants |
|
|---|---|
| Returning | 22.0% |
| New | 78.0% |
Values are based on the average over the past three editions of this event. The average value is the aggregate of the values of all events in this distance. The values and averages are subject to change as the latest editions and new events are added to the database.
See the Stats in Action
Click on an event below to see how it compares to the average shown on this page.
The statistics listed above describe the "average" 5k run. The distance of a 5k is 3.1 miles or 5 kilometres. It is the most accessible running event and is suitable for all runners, across all age groups, from beginners that are entering their first event, to highly competitive and fast runners. Runners in the 1-14 and 70 - 100 age categories compete more frequently in 5k events than in any of the other distances.
If you are looking for your first race then a 5k event is a great place to start. Most events are well organized and offer many of the amenities that longer distance races provide, like water stations and the entry fees tend to be much lower too. Also if you have never raced before then running at least one 5k can be a good way to prepare for a longer event.
The information shown is compiled on an ongoing basis from all the races of a specific distance that are followed by meteor.run. These statistics are constantly evolving as new races are added to the website and as the new editions of the events are updated.