Want to Run a Fast 5K? Here’s Everything You Need to Do

Just about anyone can run a 5K. At 3.1 miles, it’s long enough to challenge both the beginner and advanced runners, and everyone in between. Perhaps this is why so many of us, especially those who are just getting started with running, are interested in tackling the distance. But with so much variability, it’s not easy to figure out what makes a good 5K time, and how to set your own goals.

That’s why we dug up data on the average 5K finish time. Plus, we reached out to a couple of coaches to help you set your own 5K goals and understand what it takes to get better at running the distance. Here’s what you need to run your best.

What’s a good 5K time?

The average 5K finish time is 39:02, based on data collected from 2000 to 2018 and reported by Run Repeat. Meanwhile, the average 5K finish time for Strava users across the globe who uploaded their runs from September 2023 to August 2024 was 28:30 and in the U.S., runners clocked an average of 28:28 for 3.1 miles.

These could all be considered good 5K times. However, finish times are relative to a variety of factors, including fitness level, experience, current training, age, and more.

For example, “someone’s age can influence someone’s finishing time because as we age, physical capabilities tend to decline, which can lead to slower running speeds and longer finish times,” says Melissa Kendter, an ACE-certified functional strength trainer and running coach.

Finish times can also vary depending on gender. For example, the average finish time for men, according to Running USA based on race data collected from 2013 to 2023, is 32 minutes and for women, it’s 39 minutes.

Simply put: Someone else’s fast may be considered someone else’s slow, and vice versa. This is why you should set your own goals that are personal to you, and also look beyond finish time and focus on giving your best effort.

How can I set a good goal time for my first 5K?

When it comes to goal setting for a 5K, remember that you don’t always have to set a goal to finish in a certain time—especially if this is your first go at the distance.

“Your goal could just be to complete a 5K. It could be focusing on finishing the race regardless of the time. Just an accomplishment of doing it, I mean that in itself is huge. Not everybody’s going out every day running 3.1 miles,” says Kendter.

You can also focus your training and racing on improving your mental health or overall fitness, she adds.

If you do want to hit a specific time goal, you can predict your 5K finish time with a time trial before you start training and then set your goal time based on how you did.

To estimate your 5K pace with a one-mile time trial, Kendter recommends starting with a 10 minute jog to warm up then running one mile at your best effort.

After you finish, plug your total time into a race pace calculator, like ours, to estimate 5K finish time. You can also use our training pace calculator, using that mile time, to figure out your paces for workouts like long runs, tempos, and intervals leading up to race day. This can especially come in handy if you don’t have access to a coach, says Kendter.

What can you do to make sure you run your best?

Build Your Aerobic System

To complete the 5K comfortably, you have to consider it as both an endurance and a speed event, says Kendter. “You have to train your aerobic system to carry you through the 20 to 30 minutes, or however long it takes you. But you also have to train for speed appropriately, so that your aerobic system can then support the speed that you want,” she explains.

To do that, you want to include different types of runs throughout the week.

What types of runs should you do? Kendter recommends following a training plan that has a mixture of speed, long, and easy runs on the schedule each week, and lasts about four to eight weeks. This will not only help you build the endurance and speed you need, but it will also keep you consistent, which is important too.

“Just like anything else in life, it’s deliberate practice,” says Benson Lang’at, RRCA coaching certification instructor and level 2 certified coach, who stresses the importance of nutrition, stretching, and strength training in addition to running. “Really to get faster, you’ve got to do the things that help you meet the demands of what you’re trying to accomplish,” he adds.

This means running longer to build a solid base before implementing speed workouts like interval and tempo runs to get faster, and even developing and executing a good racing strategy to help you reach the finish line.

Add Speed Workouts to Your Calendar

As we mentioned, speed workouts play a critical role in training for a 5K because they will help get fitter and faster.

“You only want to do one to two speed workouts a week, and you want to pace them appropriately throughout the week, so that your body can recover in between and then gain the adaptations from the hard work,” says Kendter. This is why your speed workouts should be completed before a rest day, easy run, or active recovery day.

To help you get faster, Kendter recommends completing 10 rounds of one minute hard, one minute easy intervals to start. Then each week you can progress your workouts by increasing the intervals by one minute. This workout will help to train your VO2 max system, she says.

You can also add distance-specific speed work like 400-meter repeats to your calendar. Kendter recommends completing six rounds of 400 meters with a recovery jog of 400 meters in between each round. This workout should equal out to about four to five miles.

Monitor Your Progress

As you gear up for your first or next 5K, you can check your splits during or after your workout to make sure you’re hitting your goal paces. If you have a running watch like a Garmin or Coros, you can easily monitor your split times on your wrist, or you can record them and predict your finish time with a pace chart or calculator postrun.

If you notice you’re consistently hitting your target paces for each interval after adequate recovery, then this can be a strong indication you’re on track to hit your goal time for a 5K, says Lang’at. For example, if your goal is to break 20 minutes, then you’d want to complete 400-meter repeats at approximately a 5:39 min/mi pace, he explains.

Check the Elevation Map

Geography is another factor that can influence your race day performance, especially if you can expect to run hills on race day.

Even the slightest elevation change can slow you down, says Lang’at. This is why he recommends running hills when your training if you can expect to run them on race day.

It’s also why many runners opt for a flat or downhill course if the goal is to run a personal best.

Train for the Elements You Can Expect on Race Day

When it comes to running your best it’s important to understand how your body will respond to the weather, especially if you’re aiming for a personal best. For example, in colder conditions you want to make sure you’re dressed properly, particularly not wearing too many extra layers, and in hotter conditions you want to make sure you’re well hydrated (you always do, but especially when you’re overheated and sweating more).

Luckily, setting yourself up for success doesn’t have to be overly complicated. For starters, you can acclimate yourself to the certain weather conditions by training in them, says Lang’at. Also, check for season-specific gear guides to make sure you’re dressed appropriately (and can test our your outfit before race day).

Work With a Coach

If you really have your eyes set on running your best, working with a coach is a good approach to take.

If you want to hit a certain goal time, then working with someone who can guide you, will help you better manage your expectations, says Lang’at. For example, if you want to break 25 minutes, a coach can assess your fitness levels and adjust your training so you can reach this goal. Also, throughout your training a coach can monitor your progress and adjust your training accordingly, and also keep you motivated.