November 7, 2025, 3:41 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Do you run regularly? Five kilometers, ten kilometers, or more? Most runners probably know their personal best times—likely for several distances. What really fuels ambition is the comparison with others. Does my half-marathon time rank in the top third, or am I just average? How good is my 10,000-meter time compared to the average? The data on worldwide finish times for popular distances, published by the tracking network “Strava” in 2024, is certainly interesting. Even if, in running, it’s not just about the finish time…

Comparing Running Times–How Fast Am I?

“Compare your running time with that of your fellow runners,” says the website “RunRepeat.” The numbers are said to be based on 35 million results collected over the past 20 years from more than 28,000 races. All uploads during this period were evaluated.¹

5-Kilometer Distance

Let’s start with the 5-kilometer distance: from the perspective of many beginner runners, a realistic goal, often achievable within a few weeks or months. Perfect also for working professionals and people with little time—5,000 meters can be relatively easily fit into a busy day.

The data from “RunRepeat” shows that at 50:04 minutes, almost all participants (90 percent) in 5-kilometer races had finished. Half of all runners were through after 34:37 minutes. To be an above-average 5-kilometer runner, you should aim for a finish time under 34:37 minutes. And to be among the top, you need a time of 18:40 minutes: Only one percent of participants achieve this.

Comparing Running Times–With What Times Are Women and Men Above Average?

The comparison of running times shows: To be faster than half of all female runners, women should complete the distance in under 37:28 minutes (men: 31:28). If you can complete a 5-kilometer run in 30 minutes, you are faster than over 70 percent of women (and faster than 65 percent of men). The fastest ten percent run the distance in a maximum of 23:26 minutes (men; women: 28:24).

10-Kilometer Distance

Here, the data shows: An above-average running time is 1:02:08 hours—half of the runners are slower. The—especially for 10-kilometer beginners—magical barrier of 60 minutes is actually surpassed by only about 40 percent of race participants. If you take longer than 01:27:58 hours for 10,000 meters, 90 percent of the competition will overtake you. At the other end, where the air gets thin, you would need a time of 36:18 minutes: Only one runner in 100 is that fast. With what running times are men and women among the fastest?

With What Times Are Women and Men Above Average?

Men who run the ten kilometers in under 57:15 minutes and women who stay under 1:06:54 hours are above average. As a man, you belong to the fastest ten percent with a finish time of under 45:11 minutes, while for women, the bar is set at 53:35 minutes.

Half-Marathon Distance

The statistics show: Anyone who completes the 21.0975 kilometers in under 2:14:59 hours is already faster than average. In other words, someone with this time leaves half of the fellow runners behind. A half-marathon under two hours is a strong goal; achieving it is therefore only granted to 45 percent of runners.

With What Time Are Women and Men Above Average?

For women: Anyone who can show a running time of under 2:24:03 hours is already faster than average. With a half-marathon time under two hours, women are faster than 80 percent of all female runners and belong to the fastest ten percent if the finish time remains under 1:57:01 hours.

For men, the threshold for above-average runners is 1:59:48 hours. This means: Anyone who stays under two hours is faster than every second man. The fastest ten percent run the half-marathon in under 1:40:35 hours.

Marathon Distance

Now we come to one of the greatest challenges in running. For many, the sub-4-hour goal is considered a magical barrier. How many runners actually achieve it? According to the evaluation, it’s just 30 percent. You are already faster than every second runner with a time under 4:26:33 hours. Only the fastest ten percent are quicker than 3:31:46 hours.

With What Time Are Women and Men Above Average?

For women: Anyone who runs the marathon in under 4:42:09 hours is already faster than average. A marathon under four hours is an outstanding achievement—80 percent of female runners fail to achieve it. Women with a marathon time under 3:49:22 hours belong to the fastest ten percent. Ninety percent of women finish in a maximum of 5:56:31 hours.

For men, the threshold for above-average marathon runners is 4:14:29 hours. Anyone who stays under four hours is faster than 70 percent of men. Ninety percent of men finish in a maximum of 5:25:26 hours.

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Only 1 Percent of Runners Achieve These Times

The data also shows the elite field of runners for all the mentioned distances. The top running times of the best runners in comparison:

• 5 kilometers men: 1 percent of men run the distance in under 17:30 minutes
• 5 kilometers women: 1 percent of women run the distance in under 21:39 minutes
• 10 kilometers men: 1 percent of men run the distance in under 34:24 minutes
• 10 kilometers women: 1 percent of women run the distance in under 41:12 minutes
• Half-marathon men: 1 percent of men run the distance in under 1:18:37 hours
• Half-marathon women: 1 percent of women run the distance in under 1:35:55 hours
• Marathon men: 1 percent of men run the distance in under 2:44:18 hours
• Marathon women: 1 percent of women run the distance in under 3:11:35 hours

How to Get Faster at Running

Comparing your running times with those of others is all well and good—but it doesn’t help you get faster. If you want to improve, you need one thing first: consistency in training. A basic weekly structure for an ambitious runner who has time for four sessions might look like this:

1. Endurance run with integrated technique session (six kilometers warm-up, then 15 to 20 minutes of running technique, two kilometers cool-down).
2. Endurance run (eight to twelve kilometers).
3. Speed session (interval training, tempo run).
4. Long endurance run (15 kilometers and longer, adjusted to the specific race goal).

With such a structure, you train three-quarters in the aerobic zone, the zone where more oxygen is taken in than given off.

But if you want to run fast, you can’t just run. Core stabilization should be part of every training program. Half an hour once a week is the minimum, but if you want more than just to ease your conscience, you should increase the frequency. With twice a week for 30 minutes, you do your body a lot of good.