Wondering if your mile run time is on par with others? Understanding your average 1 mile run time by age and ability can help. The average 1 mile run time by age for men is about 9:15 and 10:40 for women.
Use our easy-to-read tables to get insight into your progress and set achievable goals. We have the average 1 mile run time by age and ability for women, men and kids.
Whether you’re looking to improve your mile time for a personal goal or are wanting to compete, this article will give you the info you need.
Contents
What is average 1 mile run time by age and ability?
In short, an average 1 mile run time is the amount of time it takes for someone to run 1 mile. As we are all unique, the time it takes to run a mile or even the average 5K time by age can vary greatly. The factors that can influence a mile run time include gender, fitness levels, age, and your training program.
Generally, the average 1 mile time for men is about 9:15 (9 minutes and 15 seconds), and for women 10:40 (10 minutes and 40 seconds).
For kids, the average mile time for boys (ages 10 – 17) is between 7:00 – 10:00, and for girls (ages 10 – 17) it’s between 10:00 – 11:30.
Use these easy charts below to find a good mile time to aim for depending on your age and ability.
What is running ability?
Generally, categories for running ability are based on the time it takes to complete certain distances. This can vary depending on the source and purpose. The average running speed will also depend on running ability. For the charts in this article, we’ve defined running ability to mean the following:
Beginner — Individuals who are new to running and will need to work on their form, endurance and fitness. Beginners have about a month’s running experience.
Novice — Individuals who have been running for about 6 months. They may have completed a few races. Novices will have slightly faster times than beginners but might have difficulty keeping the pace over long distances.
Intermediate— Runners who have been training consistently for at least two years and have completed several races. They are able to keep a moderate pace for longer distances without any issues.
Advanced — Runners who have at least 5 years of running experience. They have a high level of fitness and faster times than 80% of runners.
Elite – An elite runner has dedicated more than 5 years of running to become a competitive athlete. These are the fastest and most highly trained runners.
Average 1 mile run time by age and ability for women
The average 1 mile run time by age for women is about 10:40.
A good 1 mile run time to work toward is 07:44.
The current world record fastest mile run time for women is 4:12.
Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
20 | 10:40 | 09:00 | 07:44 | 06:48 | 06:05 |
25 | 10:40 | 09:00 | 07:44 | 06:48 | 06:05 |
30 | 10:40 | 09:00 | 07:44 | 06:48 | 06:05 |
35 | 10:44 | 09:04 | 07:47 | 06:50 | 06:08 |
40 | 10:57 | 09:15 | 07:57 | 06:59 | 06:15 |
45 | 11:21 | 09:35 | 08:14 | 07:14 | 06:29 |
50 | 11:56 | 10:04 | 08:40 | 07:36 | 06:49 |
55 | 12:37 | 10:39 | 09:09 | 08:02 | 07:12 |
60 | 13:23 | 11:18 | 09:43 | 08:32 | 07:39 |
65 | 14:16 | 12:02 | 10:21 | 09:05 | 08:09 |
70 | 15:15 | 12:52 | 11:04 | 09:43 | 08:42 |
75 | 16:23 | 13:50 | 11:53 | 10:26 | 09:21 |
80 | 17:44 | 14:58 | 12:52 | 11:18 | 10:08 |
85 | 19:58 | 16:51 | 14:29 | 12:43 | 11:24 |
90 | 24:04 | 20:19 | 17:28 | 15:20 | 13:45 |
Average 1 mile run time by age and ability for men
The average 1 mile run time by age for men is about 9:15.
A good mile time to hit for men of all ages and abilities is 06:37.
The current world record fastest mile time for a man is 03:43.
Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
20 | 09:25 | 07:48 | 06:37 | 05:46 | 05:08 |
25 | 09:25 | 07:48 | 06:37 | 05:46 | 05:08 |
30 | 09:26 | 07:49 | 06:38 | 05:46 | 05:09 |
35 | 09:35 | 07:56 | 06:44 | 05:52 | 05:14 |
40 | 09:55 | 08:13 | 06:58 | 06:04 | 05:25 |
45 | 10:17 | 08:31 | 07:14 | 06:18 | 05:37 |
50 | 10:41 | 08:51 | 07:31 | 06:33 | 05:50 |
55 | 11:08 | 09:13 | 07:49 | 06:48 | 06:04 |
60 | 11:36 | 09:36 | 08:09 | 07:06 | 06:20 |
65 | 12:07 | 10:02 | 08:31 | 07:25 | 06:37 |
70 | 12:43 | 10:32 | 08:57 | 07:47 | 06:56 |
75 | 13:40 | 11:19 | 09:37 | 08:22 | 07:27 |
80 | 15:08 | 12:32 | 10:38 | 09:15 | 08:15 |
85 | 17:25 | 14:26 | 12:15 | 10:39 | 09:30 |
90 | 21:13 | 17:35 | 14:55 | 12:59 | 11:35 |
Average mile time by age for men vs women
The average pace for a mile for men is 9:15 and for women 10:40. The table below shows a good mile time for men versus women for intermediate runners.
Age | Men (Intermediate) | Women (Intermediate) |
20 | 06:37 | 07:44 |
25 | 06:37 | 07:44 |
30 | 06:38 | 07:44 |
35 | 06:44 | 07:47 |
40 | 06:58 | 07:57 |
45 | 07:14 | 08:14 |
50 | 07:31 | 08:40 |
55 | 07:49 | 09:09 |
60 | 08:09 | 09:43 |
65 | 08:31 | 10:21 |
70 | 08:57 | 11:04 |
75 | 09:37 | 11:53 |
80 | 10:38 | 12:52 |
85 | 12:15 | 14:29 |
90 | 14:55 | 17:28 |
Average mile run time by age for kids - ages 10 - 17 yrs
The average 1 mile run time by age for boys and girls will vary quite a bit depending on gender, age, developmental stage, fitness levels, and training.
Puberty plays a big role in mile times. For example, a 14-year-old boy who has matured quickly will potentially have a faster mile time than someone the same age who has just hit puberty.
Keep this in mind when comparing average mile run times for kids and teens.
Average 1 mile run time for girls ages 10 - 17 years
According to the National Fitness Standards (USA), the average mile time for girls between the ages of 10 to 17 years can range from 10:22 to 11:22. However, this doesn’t take into account ability.
Use the table below for the average 1-mile run time by age for girls.
Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
10 | 12:30 | 10:30 | 9:03 | 07:57 | 7:08 |
11 | 12:15 | 10:15 | 9:15 | 8:15 | 7:15 |
12 | 12:00 | 10:00 | 9:00 | 8:00 | 7:00 |
13 | 11:45 | 9:45 | 8:45 | 7:45 | 6:45 |
14 | 11:30 | 9:30 | 8:30 | 7:30 | 6:30 |
15 | 11:12 | 9:27 | 8:08 | 7:08 | 06:24 |
16 | 11:00 | 9:00 | 8:00 | 7:00 | 6:00 |
17 | 10:45 | 8:45 | 7:45 | 6:45 | 5:45 |
Average mile run time for boys ages 10 to 17 year.
The average mile run time can vary quite a bit between boys ages 10 – 17 due to the rapid growth that occurs during puberty.
The National Fitness Standards gives a range of 7:04 to 9:20 for the average one-mile run for boys. However, this does not take into account development and ability.
Use the table below for the average mile run time for boys based on their ability.
Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
10 | 11:16 | 09:20 | 7:55 | 6:54 | 6:09 |
11 | 11:00 | 09:00 | 7:45 | 6:45 | 6:00 |
12 | 10:45 | 08:50 | 7:35 | 6:40 | 5:55 |
13 | 10:30 | 08:40 | 7:20 | 6:30 | 5:50 |
14 | 10:15 | 08:30 | 7:05 | 6:20 | 5:45 |
15 | 10:00 | 08:20 | 7:00 | 6:10 | 5:40 |
16 | 09:45 | 08:10 | 6:50 | 6:00 | 5:35 |
17 | 09:30 | 08:00 | 6:45 | 5:50 | 5:30 |
What is a good mile time?
A good mile time really depends on the individual. Factors such as age, gender, fitness level and overall health will affect time.
A good mile time for a beginner runner is generally about 10 to 12 minutes. For more experienced runners, a good time would be anything under 8 minutes.
While it’s good to know how you measure up compared to other runners your age or your ability, to work out a good mile time for yourself, it’s best to measure how long you take to run a mile and then work towards improving that time.
What factors can influence your mile time?
There are several factors that can influence your mile run time.
Remember, we all have good and bad days, so sometimes you might have all the key factors in check, but still not beat your personal record on a particular day.
Here are the key factors that will influence your average mile time.
Fitness level and body shape
Fitness level and body shape are two important factors that will significantly impact mile run time.
Your cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility are the primary components of fitness that impact your mile run time. A person with good cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength will naturally be faster than someone with poor fitness levels.
Body shape is also an important aspect to consider. If you’ve watched Lord of The Rings, you’ll remember Legolas running compared to Gimli running. Someone who has a low body fat percentage and longer limbs will naturally be faster than someone with a higher body fat percentage and short limbs.
Age
As we age, our cardiovascular system, muscles, and bones change. This leads to a gradual decrease in performance. The reason for this is that the maximum heart rate decreases and the muscles become weaker and less flexible.
This means that younger runners usually have faster mile run times than older runners.
However, as you can see in the video, with proper training and conditioning, older runners can improve their performance and maintain their fitness levels.
Gender
Men are generally bigger than women and have higher testosterone levels. They also tend to have a higher lean body mass and larger lung capacity. This leads to faster mile run times.
However, with proper training and conditioning, women can perform at a high level that’s on par with men. For example, the world record 1-mile run of 04:13 is still faster than the elite men’s time of 05:08.
Your training program
Of all the factors that can influence your mile time, your training program is the most critical. A well-designed training program will help you build speed, strength, and endurance.
Your program should also include a combination of cardiovascular exercises, strength training, and stretching. Additionally, your training program should be tailored to your age, fitness level, and goals. Following a well-designed training program will significantly improve your 1 mile run time.
How to improve your 1 mile run time
The 1 mile run is a common benchmark for many runners. No matter your level of ability, there are always ways to improve your mile time. Here are a few tips to help you improve your time.
Improve your running form — Running with proper form will help you conserve energy and be more efficient in your movements. This in turn will lead to faster times. Maintain a tall posture, land lightly on your feet, and swing your arms naturally.
Work on speed — Include interval training, tempo runs and hill repeats to work on your speed and increase your aerobic capacity.
Hit the hills — One of the best ways to build leg strength and endurance is hill training. Add regular hill training or running on a treadmill with incline to challenge yourself.
Build endurance — Add longer runs or steady-state runs into your training program to build your endurance. The greater your endurance, the more you’ll be able to maintain a steady pace throughout your 1-mile run.
Build muscle — Strong legs will help you generate more power and speed during your runs. Add regular strength training in the form of squats, lunges and calf raises to build your leg muscles.
Do jump training (plyometrics) — Jump training, such as jump squats and box jumps, will build your explosive power. This will translate into faster mile run times.
Find your rhythm (work on your cadence) — Cadence is the number of steps you take per minute. Maintaining a consistent cadence will help you keep a steady pace and also reduce your risk of injury. Use a metronome app or count your steps per minute to improve your cadence.
By incorporating these tips into your training program, you can increase your mile time. You’ll also become a stronger and faster runner. As with all thing, we recommend starting out slowly to avoid injury.
FAQs
Is running a mile in 6 minutes good?
A 6-minute mile time is considered a good time for most individuals. The pace is approximately 6 miles per hour which is a fast running pace.
What is a good 1 mile time?
A good mile time will vary depending on the age, fitness level, gender and running ability. Generally, for an average adult who runs for fitness, a mile run time of 8-10 minutes is considered good.
What is a good time to run a mile by age?
A good time to run a mile for any age is 8 – 10 minutes. However, more skilled runners will have faster times.
How fast should a 14 year old run 1 mile?
A good mile time for a 14-year-old is around 8 – 9 minutes. However, this can vary greatly depending on the gender, fitness level and running ability.
Is 7 minutes good for 1 mile?
Yes, a 7-minute mile run time is a good time for most people. It’s faster than the average 1 mile run time and indicates a high level of fitness and running ability.
Is a 15 minute mile terrible?
No, it’s not a terrible time. It’s important to remember that everyone starts at different levels. Use your 15-minute mile time as a base time and aim to improve your time gradually.
Is 1 mile in 20 minutes good?
Completing a mile in 20 minutes is considered a very slow pace. However, everyone has different starting points and levels of fitness and with training and practice, there can be improvement.
What is a fast high school mile?
A fast high school mile is under 5 minutes for boys and under 6 minutes for girls. However, the range of what’s considered fast can vary between individuals due to running ability and training.
Summary
- The average 1 mile run time by age will vary depending on gender, fitness levels and training. Generally, a good mile run time is 8 – 10 minutes for any level.
- Mile run times for kids can be greatly affected by their level of development, gender and fitness levels.
- A comprehensive training program can help you improve your mile run time.
