Are you wondering how long does it take to run a mile? If so, welcome to RunDreamAchieve. My aim with this post is to share with you some tactics that helped me run 4:22.10 for the mile (1609 meters). No, I didn't have a great deal of talent. What I did have, more than likely you as well, was work ethic. You are more than welcome to also visit the about page if you'd like to know more about my racing background.
The mile is a highly anaerobic event. So, you definitely need to work on your overall leg speed. Of course, endurance is also essential to be a great miler. The mile is only just over 4 laps around the track. High schoolers run the 1600 meters which is 9 meters short of a mile. Pace sustainment is the end goal when it comes to this event. How can we best handle high levels of lactic acid build up.
The good news is speed training can help lessen the effects of mile race pace. Remember, we want to sustain pace more effectively than our competition. Easy running won't teach you to do this. Quality over quantity is what matters most in your preparation.
How Long Should it Take to Run a Mile for a Beginner?
A time that most beginners could expect to run the mile would be anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. Of course, there are many runners who can run much faster. That being said, we all start somewhere. So, don't think less of yourself if you can't run fast times out of the gate. The great news is you can make significant gains in this sport.
I would recommend focusing on an at least a 12 week build up to train for an all out mile. Also, spend the first 4 weeks running easy aerobic mileage. Remember, you have to first strengthen your muscles, tendons and ligaments. The hard training will definitely take a lot out of your mentally and physically. I see a lot of runners trying to do anaerobic training first bypassing aerobic (easy) running altogether.
So, you have to be strategic is how you set up your training. I have created training plans for milers here at RunDreamAchieve. Have interest in the 5K to marathon events? We have training plans ranging from 8 to 24 weeks in length here. If interested in online coaching that option is here along with running courses. The end goal here is to help speed up your learning curve. In addition, help you get a new personal best from the mile to marathon distances.
How Long Does it Take a Girl to Run a Mile
Times will vary from athlete to athlete. The word record for the mile for women was set by Sifan Hassan. Hassan is a Dutch runner who ran a time of 4.12.33 on 12 July 2019. So, the ladies can run very fast, fellas. In fact, the world record for the women's mile is faster than most men can even run, respectfully. The average time for the mile for a girl is anywhere from 9 to 12 minutes. Again, the time you will eventually be able to run largely depends on how you set up your training.
How often are you training at or below your goal mile time? What percentage of your weekly mileage are you training at or near these paces? If the percentage is below 10 percent you already know you need to make some adjustments. A major mistake runners make is simply running too much of their mileage too slow. The best runners in the world run between 35 to 40% of their weekly volume at very high intensities.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYHow Long Does it Take a Boy to Run a Mile
Again, times are going to vary depending on the maturity and ability of the athlete. The word record for men was set by Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco who ran a time of 3:43.13 set 7 July 1999 in Rome, Italy. There was 5 high school boys who broke the 4-minute mile in 2022. Never before have so many high schoolers run such fast times.
Of course, a large part of this is due to new shoe technology with carbon fiber plates. That being said, shoes technology alone is not a guarantee to break the 4-minute mile barrier. It is extremely tough just to break 5 minutes for the mile. The athlete needs to sustain 74 to 75 second quarters to run a 4:59. The average time for boys for the mile is around 9 to 10 minutes. So, the average time to run a mile for a man or a boy is going to vary from 8 to 10 minutes. Again, these times will vary from faster or slower depending on the experience level of the athlete.
I would highly recommend investing in a heart rate monitor as you train for the mile. Heart rate monitor training will ensure you don't overtrain. A lot of times runners are running too easy on hard days. In addition, running too fast on easy days. I use the Garmin 245 which helps me stay in the correct heart rate zones.
How Long Does it Take to Run a 5K
Athletes wondering how long does it take to run a mile also have goals of running faster over 5 kilometers too. The time it takes you to cover the mile to marathon distances largely depends on how you train. All athletes have to deal with lactic acid. Easy running doesn't train the athlete to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast, anaerobic training does.
The 5K, much like the mile, is an anaerobic event. So, you have to work on doing 1, vo2 max workout per week. The same goes if you training for the 10K, 15K, half marathon or marathon events. Athletes need to train at this intensity in order to get race pace to feel more manageable. In addition, to teach the body to clear lactic acid faster than it is building up. Why do the best runners make it look so easy? They have spent a higher percentage of their weekly volume at much higher intensities.
We run between 95 to 100% of our maximum heart rate at our vo2 max. Vo2 max is our body's maximum oxygen uptake. It is running so fast than you can't clear lactic acid faster than it is building up. So, we need to take rest breaks between efforts. Again, these workouts are hard but they will help you run more economically (efficiently) come race day.
The average time to run a 5k ranges from 25 to 30 minutes for beginners. Of course, there are runners who can run much faster or slower depending on their experience level. The world record for men in this event is 12:35 and 14:06 for women.
How Long Does it Take to Run 2 Miles
The 2-mile event is one of the most popular around the world. Here in the states, high schoolers run the 3200 meter. It is close but 18 meters short of 2 miles which is 3218 meters long. Again, those seeking how long does it take to run a mile need to run 1609 meters. Remember, 4 laps around the track is 1600 meters, just shy of one-mile.
You really need to focus on speed to run a fast 2 mile time. I do have 2-mile training plans available here if you are seeking a new way of training for the distance. I would recommend a minimum of 8 and preferably 12 weeks to adequately train for the 2-mile event. The world record for men is 7:58 and for women, 8:58. Yes, you read that right. Two, sub-4 minute miles were run back to back by Kenya's Daniel Komen. Komen is the only man in history to have ever broken the 8-minute, 2-mile barrier.
In addition, only two women in history have ever broken the 9 minute, 2-mile barrier. They are Meseret Defar (8.58.58) and Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi who ran 8:59.01. The second fastest time ever run by man behind Komen's 7:58 was run by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia in 8:01.08.
How Long Does it Take to Run 5 Miles
There are many 5 mile races around the world held each year. Collegiate athletes here in the states run the 8K (4.96 miles) in college. It is regular considered the 5-mile distance. How fast you go is dependent on your overall focus on your goal 5 mile race pace. Again, the faster you train the better equipped you are going to be over the 5 mile distance. It is 4 times as far as the mile. So, you need to focus both on strength and endurance workouts.
The training resources available her also include 5-mile training plans, if interested. I would recommend including in strides in your training routine twice per week. Strides are quick, 50 to 100 meter acceleration drills. The world record for 5 miles is 22:05 and for women, 24:27.
They will help you work on your form and are great to get the heart rate up prior to starting your training. Make sure to also subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new video content there weekly to help runners such as yourself make that next big leap in your preparation.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYHow Long Does it Take to Run a 10K
If you are wondering how long does it take to run a mile the 10k is a bit more challenging. A large reason for this is the fact that it is over 5 times the distance of the mile. The 10k, like the longer races such as the half marathon and marathon, is an aerobic event. So, it does involve speed but you really have to work on your strength and stamina to run a great 10k.
10k is 6.2 miles or 10,000 meters. It is the longest running track and field event there. Race walkers compete in the 20,000 meter event which is the longest endurance event on the track. Again, how long does it take to run a 10K depends largely on the overall fitness of the athlete. The average time for a 10k ranges around 60 to 70 minutes for many athletes.
The world record for the 10K on the track is 26:11 (4:13 per mile) for men and 29.01 for women (4:40 mile pace). Again, the athletes that run the fastest have simply spent a larger amount of their time training at very high speeds. Yes, they are also genetically gifted and talented. That being said, talented athletes that don't train will get beat my less talented ones that do. You cannot rely specifically on your talent and expect to run a competitive 10k time.
How Long Does it Take to Run a Half Marathon
The average time to run a half marathon for most people is around 2 and half to 3 hours. A sub 2 hour half marathon is a highly sought after goal for many runners. I created a course called the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course you may be interested in available here. The athlete seeking to run a 1:59:59 for the half marathon needs to sustain 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometer to achieve this goal.
Yes, you can run this time. That being said, we have to get that sub 2 hour half marathon pace to feel more like marathon pace instead. Again, running a higher percentage of your weekly volume at or below goal race pace is essential. Of course, so is running easy and allowing sufficient time for your body to recover. Remember, there is only so many times you can continue to push the body before you see diminished returns.
The real benefits of our hard training come from within the rest period after the work out is completed. In fact, our bodies are about 2 to 3 times immediately following a hard, anaerobic workout. Google the word “supercompensation”. I can guarantee you that your competition has never heard of it. Thank me later.
The world record for this event for men is 57:31. The ladies are not that far behind with the world record holder having run 1:02.53 at the time of this post being written. Remember, these are the fastest times in history. So, don't compare yourself to them. That being said, it is proof of just how fast one can run if they have the work ethic. In addition, some talent as well.
How Long Does it Take to Run a Marathon
The marathon is drastically different than the mile. Remember, those asking how long does it take to run a mile may have interest in one day running a marathon as well. The world record for men for the marathon is 2:01:39 (4:38 mile pace). In comparison, the world record for the marathon for women is 2:14.02 (5:06 mile pace). The marathon is a highly aerobic event. That being said, you still need to work on your overall leg speed for this event as well.
There are far too many runners running too much mileage too slow. The result is they become outstanding, long, slow runners. Again, the goal is to run faster than your competition. In addition, to slow down less than they do. So, you have to follow a training plan or invest in a course that will teach you to do exactly that. I have over 30 years in this sport and have been trained by some of the world's top distance running coaches.
How Long Does it Take for an Average Person to Run a Marathon
I created running courses and training plans to help athletes such as yourself to make it to the next level in your racing. You have far more time to make a mistake in a marathon than you have in the mile. An average time for a male in this event is around 4:30 to 5 hours for the marathon. Of course, times will vary depending on the overall fitness level of the runner.
I would recommend training for a minimum of 16 and preferably 24 weeks for this event. Remember, it takes between 21 days to 4 weeks for the body to adapt to the stresses you are placing on it. So, being in a rush is not the way to go in this or any other event. How long does it take to run a mile or marathon depends on your drive and motivation. Again, the longer the build up the better you will be set up for success.
Fitness cannot be rushed. The best runners do have a belief in delayed gratification. It is very easy to get frustrated and lose enthusiasm for the sport when you want quick results. It just simply does not work this way in our sport. The reason I created the resources available here at RunDreamAchieve to help motivate and speed up learning for the athletes I coach.
Closing Thoughts
Below are some closing thoughts I want you to think over as you train for the mile or longer distances. I am certain that these running tips will drastically help you to improve over the mile to the marathon…
- Run longer – longer runs build endurance and burn fat. It will also toughen you mentally to run much further than your race distance.
- Longer tempo runs – Tempo runs are spent running at between 85 to 88% of your maximum heart rate. A mistake runners make is doing too short of tempo runs. So, focus on gradually extending the distance. Our training plans focus on this approach to help get the runner to run faster, longer.
- Focus on what you can control – weather bad? Guess what, everyone else will have to race in it too. So, stay positive, relaxed and confident. Let your competition be tense, up tight and worried, not you
- Faster long runs – varied paced long runs are what the world's top middle to long distance runners do. Remember, don't run long and slow every single weekend. So, practice running at speeds much greater than your goal race pace as well as speeds much slower. Combination of both aerobic and anaerobic efforts during long runs will help you succeed.
Additional Tips
- Follow your harder long run with an easy long run – Remember, leverage is where we want you to be. Leverage simply means doing more with less. So, focus on recovery and training smart and you will succeed over any distance.
- Focus on your speed development at least once per week – faster workouts makes race pace feel easier
- Rehearse your race mentally – mental training combined with physical training is where great results come about. The top runners know that both have to be working in unison in order for superior results. Follow their example.
- Lift weights- strength training is important. Remember, focus on light weights and high reps. You don't need to be in the gym more than once a week. Focus on strengthening the running-related muscle groups i.e. core, quads, shoulders, calves etc.
- Jog on easy days – the best runners ensure to recover after hard efforts. So, slow down on those recovery days. Again, the benefits of your hard training will come the hours and days after the hard track and road workouts are completed.
