What Is a Good 5K Time? Pace Benchmarks by Age & Ability

A “good” 5K time depends entirely on your age, fitness level, and how long you've been running. Here are realistic benchmarks.

Average 5K times by ability

• Beginner: 35–45 minutes (7–9 min/km)
• Recreational: 25–35 minutes (5–7 min/km)
• Intermediate: 20–25 minutes (4–5 min/km)
• Advanced: under 20 minutes (sub 4 min/km)
• Elite: under 15 minutes

Average parkrun times in the UK

The average parkrun finish time is around 28–30 minutes for men and 32–34 minutes for women across all ages.

Age-grading

A 25-minute 5K means something very different at age 20 vs age 60. Age-grading calculators adjust for this — a 60-year-old running 25 minutes may be performing at a higher percentile than a 25-year-old running the same time.

Use our 5K pace calculator to find the exact pace you need.