How Long Does It Take To Run 5 Miles?

To work out how long it takes to run 5 miles, multiply your pace per mile by five. At a 10-minute mile, you'll finish in 50 minutes. At a 12-minute mile, it takes an hour. For context, holding the average recreational 5K race pace for 5 miles would take about 57 minutes for men and 1 hour 7 minutes for women.

Below you'll find finish times for common paces, a way to estimate your time from a recent 5K, what counts as a good time, what can slow you down on a given day, and a six-week example plan for building up to your first 5 miles.

5-mile times by pace

Five miles is 8.05 kilometers (a mile is exactly 1.609344 km). The table below shows 5-mile finish times for common paces, along with the matching pace per kilometer. The speed column is handy on a treadmill, since most treadmills show miles per hour.

If your pace falls between rows, the pace calculator or the finish time calculator will give you an exact time. Treadmill runners can also use the treadmill pace chart.

Use a recent 5K to estimate your 5-mile time

If you've run a 5K recently, you can use that result to estimate your 5-mile time. A widely used method is the Riegel formula: multiply your 5K time by the distance ratio (about 1.61) raised to a small power, usually 1.06. In practice, that means multiplying your 5K time by about 1.66. The power accounts for the slight slowdown that comes with running farther.

In a study of 2,303 recreational runners, predictions based on the Riegel formula lined up well with actual race times up to the half marathon. Only its marathon predictions came out too fast. Five miles falls well within the range where the formula works.

Treat these as race-effort estimates. They assume you've trained enough to hold a steady pace for the full distance. Your first 5-mile run, or an easy 5 miles on a weekday, will usually take longer, and that's fine. If you haven't timed a 5K yet, our guide to how long a 5K takes is a good place to start.

What counts as a good time for 5 miles?

There's no official average for 5 miles, because relatively few races use the distance. The closest large data set is for the 5K. RunRepeat's analysis of 107.9 million recreational race results from 1986 to 2018, which left out elite runners and walking events, put the average 5K pace at 7:04 per kilometer for men (about 11:22 per mile) and 8:18 per kilometer for women (about 13:21 per mile). Held for 5 miles, those paces work out to about 57 minutes for men and 1 hour 7 minutes for women.

Keep in mind that these averages come from races, not training runs, and that the 5K draws the most first-time racers. Most people also slow down a bit over a longer distance. So if you finish 5 miles in about an hour, you're squarely in the typical range.

Here are some rough reference points by experience level:

• Beginners: aim to finish your first 5 miles. At a relaxed 12- to 14-minute mile with a few short walk breaks, plan on roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Intermediate runners: if you run a few times a week, a 10- to 11-minute mile puts you at 50 to 55 minutes.
• Advanced runners: a 7- to 8-minute mile puts you at 35 to 40 minutes. Finishing in under 30 minutes means running faster than 6 minutes per mile, which is competitive racing territory.

Age and sex shift these numbers. On average, men run faster than women, and runners tend to slow down with age. That's why a 70-minute 5 miles can be a strong result for one runner and a slow day for another. Your own earlier times on the same route give you the fairest comparison. For other distances, see our guides to the average mile time, the 10K and 10 miles.

What changes your time on a given day

Your 5-mile time can vary by several minutes from one day to the next. Here are the usual reasons.

Effort

Easy runs and races call for very different efforts. On an easy run, you should be able to talk but not sing, which the CDC describes as moderate intensity. If you can only say a few words before pausing for breath, you're working at a vigorous intensity. Most of your 5-mile runs should feel conversational, so they'll be slower than your best time.

Trails, hills and stops

Hilly routes and trails with roots, rocks and tight turns usually take longer than the same distance on flat pavement. If your watch keeps running during stops, time spent at traffic lights and water stops counts too. To compare times fairly, use the same route or note the conditions in your running log.

Hot and humid weather

Warm, humid weather slows endurance runners. In an analysis of seven major marathons, finish times slowed steadily as heat stress rose from cool to warm conditions, and slower runners were affected more than the leaders. A larger analysis of 1,258 races at major competitions, including track events as short as 3,000 meters, found the same pattern at shorter distances: performances were best in cool conditions and slipped as heat stress rose. On a hot day, run by effort rather than pace, expect to go slower and drink water.

Stop, get into the shade and cool off if you feel dizzy, nauseated or unusually weak, or if you get a headache. The CDC lists these among signs of overheating. If you don't start to feel better soon after stopping, get medical help. Confusion or slurred speech can mean heat stroke, which needs emergency care: call 911.

Treadmill or road

A treadmill has no wind resistance, so the same pace takes slightly less energy than it does outdoors. In a small study of trained runners, setting the treadmill to a 1% incline matched the energy cost of running on a flat road. At the two slowest speeds tested, about 8 to 9 minutes per mile, neither 0% nor 1% differed meaningfully from the road. If you want your treadmill 5 miles to compare with an outdoor run, 1% is a reasonable setting.

Building up to running 5 miles

Once you can run 3 miles comfortably without stopping, 5 miles is a realistic next goal. Keep most runs at a conversational pace, leave a rest or cross-training day between runs, and add a little distance to one long run each week, with a lighter week now and then. Walk breaks are fine. A run that includes some walking still counts as training.

Here's one way a runner who can already handle 3 miles might build up over six weeks, with three runs a week. Treat it as an example, not a fixed rule.

Some tiredness and muscle soreness are normal as your distance grows. If a week leaves you unusually tired or sore, repeat it before moving on. Pain is a different signal: stop running and get it checked if it makes you change your stride or gets worse as you run. If 3 miles is still hard for you, start with our guide to running 3 miles.

Ways to run 5 miles faster

Most improvement comes from running consistently over several weeks. Once 5 miles feels manageable, these habits can help:

1. Keep most runs easy. Conversational running builds the base for faster days. Our guide to steady state cardio explains how to find that effort.
2. Add one faster session a week. Try a tempo run (a steady, comfortably hard effort) or intervals, such as 4 × 5 minutes at a hard but controlled effort with 2 to 3 minutes of easy jogging between them. In the same study of 2,303 recreational runners, weekly mileage, interval training and tempo runs were all linked to faster race times. That's an association, not proof that any one workout causes the improvement.
3. Strength train twice a week. A review of 31 studies found that heavy strength training, plyometrics or a mix of methods may improve running economy, meaning you use less energy at the same pace. Plyometrics are jumping exercises. Squats, lunges, step-ups and calf raises are a simple place to start.
4. Pace it evenly. Five miles is about 60% longer than a 5K, so start a little slower than your 5K pace. Keep the first mile controlled, then pick up the pace in the last mile if you feel good.
5. Fuel normally. For a run of about an hour, you don't need gels or a sports drink during the run. Research on endurance fueling found it isn't necessary to take in large amounts of carbohydrate during exercise lasting about 30 minutes to an hour. Eat a normal meal or snack beforehand, and drink water, especially in the heat.

After six to eight weeks, time your 5 miles again on the same route and in similar weather so you get an honest comparison.

Timing a 5-mile run accurately

A standard outdoor track is 400 meters in lane 1, measured just outside the inside edge. Five miles is 20 laps plus about 47 meters in that lane. Outer lanes are longer, so running in lane 4 or 5 adds distance.

A GPS watch or phone app is fine for everyday runs. Choose whether to use auto-pause and stick with that choice, so stops don't skew your numbers from one run to the next. GPS accuracy gets worse near buildings, bridges and trees, so a track or a measured race course is the best way to check a time you care about.

If 5 miles becomes part of your routine, our article on running 5 miles a day explains what that habit involves.

Frequently asked questions

How much time does it take to walk 5 miles?

At a brisk 3 miles per hour, walking 5 miles takes 1 hour 40 minutes. At 4 miles per hour, it takes 1 hour 15 minutes. At 2.5 miles per hour, the low end of what the CDC calls brisk walking, you'll need 2 hours.

Is running 5 miles in 40 minutes good?

Yes. Forty minutes works out to an 8-minute mile, well ahead of the average recreational 5K race paces in RunRepeat's data: about 11:22 per mile for men and 13:21 for women. A 32-minute 5 miles is faster still, at 6:24 per mile.

Is running 5 miles in an hour good?

Yes, especially if you're newer to running. An hour works out to a 12-minute mile. That falls between the average recreational 5K race paces for men and women in RunRepeat's data, and you're holding it over a longer distance.

What is 5 miles in kilometers?

Five miles is 8.05 kilometers (8.04672 km exactly). On a standard 400-meter track, that's 20 laps plus about 47 meters in lane 1.

Does 5 miles count as a long run?

It depends on how much you run each week. For a newer runner building up from 3 miles, 5 miles is a long run. If you're training for a half marathon or marathon, it's more likely to be a normal weekday run.

How many miles do you cover in a 30-minute jog?

At a 10-minute mile, you'll cover 3 miles in 30 minutes. A 12-minute mile gets you 2.5 miles, and a 13-minute mile about 2.3 miles.

How much time do you need to build up to running 5 miles?

If you can already run 3 miles, the example plan in this article takes six weeks. If you're starting from scratch, first build up to running 3 miles without stopping, using walk breaks along the way, then add distance gradually.

Alex Gorovenko

I completed my first 10K on a dare. In a year, I ran a half-marathon. Another year later, I finished a marathon race. Today I run 4 marathons a year and a half-marathon every week. I learned everything about running the hard way. So, I help runners achieve better results easier.