How long is a 5K?
5 kilometres, or 3.11 miles. Here's what that means in laps, steps and minutes.
How long does a 5K take?
Walking takes about 50–60 minutes; jogging about 30–40 minutes; a fast club runner about 18–22 minutes. Most first-time 5K finishers take between 30 and 40 minutes, and plenty of run-walkers finish in 40–50 minutes. At a weekly parkrun you will see finishers from under 20 minutes to well over 50, including walkers.
The 5K is the most popular race distance in the world, largely thanks to free, weekly, timed 5K events like parkrun.
Finish time by pace
| Pace per km | Per mile | 5K finish | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00 | 8:03 | 25:00 | Experienced runner |
| 6:00 | 9:39 | 30:00 | Steady jog |
| 7:00 | 11:16 | 35:00 | Steady jog |
| 8:00 | 12:52 | 40:00 | Easy jog / run-walk |
| 9:00 | 14:29 | 45:00 | Easy jog / run-walk |
| 10:00 | 16:06 | 50:00 | Run-walk |
| 12:00 | 19:19 | 1:00:00 | Brisk walk |
Can I do one?
Almost certainly, with enough weeks. The 5K training plan builds you up from where you are now, and the pace calculator converts any time goal into a pace.
Thinking bigger? A 10K is 6.2 miles and a half marathon is 13.1.
Questions first-timers ask
How many miles is a 5K?
A 5K is 5 kilometres, which is 3.11 miles.
How long does it take to run a 5K?
Walking takes about 50–60 minutes; jogging about 30–40 minutes; a fast club runner about 18–22 minutes.
How many laps of a track is a 5K?
On a standard 400 m track, a 5K is 12.5 laps.
How many steps is a 5K?
Roughly 5,500–7,500 steps when running, depending on your height and stride length. Walking takes more steps.