Good 5K Times by Age

Quick answer: A good 5K time depends on your age and sex. Using WMA (World Masters Athletics) age-grading standards, a 50-year-old male running 24:21 scores 60% — "Local Class." A 70% Regional Class performance at that age requires 20:52. These are real benchmarks derived from world-record data, not generic estimates.

Men's 5K Times by Age

Age	Recreational 50%	Local Class 60%	Regional 70%	National 80%	World Class 90%
30	25:38 8:15/mi	21:22 6:53/mi	18:19 5:54/mi	16:01 5:09/mi	14:15 4:35/mi
35	26:06 8:24/mi	21:45 7:00/mi	18:38 6:00/mi	16:18 5:15/mi	14:30 4:40/mi
40	27:03 8:42/mi	22:33 7:15/mi	19:19 6:13/mi	16:55 5:27/mi	15:02 4:50/mi
45	28:05 9:03/mi	23:25 7:32/mi	20:04 6:28/mi	17:33 5:39/mi	15:36 5:01/mi
50	29:13 9:24/mi	24:21 7:50/mi	20:52 6:43/mi	18:15 5:53/mi	16:14 5:13/mi
55	30:25 9:48/mi	25:21 8:10/mi	21:44 7:00/mi	19:01 6:07/mi	16:54 5:26/mi
60	31:45 10:13/mi	26:27 8:31/mi	22:40 7:18/mi	19:50 6:23/mi	17:38 5:41/mi
65	33:11 10:41/mi	27:39 8:54/mi	23:42 7:38/mi	20:44 6:41/mi	18:26 5:56/mi
70	34:52 11:13/mi	29:03 9:21/mi	24:54 8:01/mi	21:47 7:01/mi	19:22 6:14/mi
75	37:26 12:03/mi	31:12 10:02/mi	26:44 8:36/mi	23:24 7:32/mi	20:48 6:42/mi
80	41:24 13:20/mi	34:30 11:06/mi	29:34 9:31/mi	25:53 8:20/mi	23:00 7:24/mi

Women's 5K Times by Age

Age	Recreational 50%	Local Class 60%	Regional 70%	National 80%	World Class 90%
30	27:55 8:59/mi	23:16 7:29/mi	19:56 6:25/mi	17:27 5:37/mi	15:30 4:59/mi
35	28:23 9:08/mi	23:39 7:37/mi	20:17 6:32/mi	17:44 5:43/mi	15:46 5:05/mi
40	29:16 9:25/mi	24:23 7:51/mi	20:54 6:44/mi	18:17 5:53/mi	16:16 5:14/mi
45	30:37 9:51/mi	25:31 8:13/mi	21:52 7:02/mi	19:08 6:10/mi	17:01 5:29/mi
50	32:21 10:25/mi	26:58 8:41/mi	23:07 7:26/mi	20:13 6:31/mi	17:59 5:47/mi
55	34:17 11:02/mi	28:35 9:12/mi	24:30 7:53/mi	21:26 6:54/mi	19:03 6:08/mi
60	36:29 11:44/mi	30:24 9:47/mi	26:03 8:23/mi	22:48 7:20/mi	20:16 6:31/mi
65	38:57 12:32/mi	32:28 10:27/mi	27:50 8:57/mi	24:21 7:50/mi	21:39 6:58/mi
70	41:48 13:27/mi	34:50 11:13/mi	29:52 9:37/mi	26:08 8:25/mi	23:14 7:29/mi
75	45:06 14:31/mi	37:35 12:06/mi	32:13 10:22/mi	28:11 9:04/mi	25:03 8:04/mi
80	49:17 15:52/mi	41:04 13:13/mi	35:12 11:20/mi	30:48 9:55/mi	27:23 8:49/mi

What the performance levels mean

World Class (90%+) — National or world age-group record territory. Very few runners at any age reach this level.
National Class (80–89%) — Competitive at national masters championships. Requires serious, structured training over years.
Regional Class (70–79%) — Strong age-group placements at regional and larger local races. Consistent training with quality sessions.
Local Class (60–69%) — Competitive in local races. Solid fitness from regular running and some structured training.
Recreational (below 60%) — Running for fitness and enjoyment. Most runners start here and can improve significantly with consistent training.

Training for a faster 5K

The 5K is the most aerobically demanding short race. At competitive levels, it requires strong VO2max — your ability to process oxygen at high intensity for 15–25 minutes. Training should emphasize threshold and interval work once a base of easy running is established. Most runners improve their 5K dramatically by running more easy miles, not more speed work.

Calculate your exact age-graded score

The table above shows benchmarks at round performance levels. Enter your exact race time below to see your precise WMA age-graded percentage.

Age-Grading: Calculates your performance as a percentage of the World Record standard for your specific age and gender. This creates a unified 'Level Playing Field' across all demographics. An 80% score at age 60 represents the exact same relative competitiveness as an 80% score at age 25, even though the absolute race times differ.

Age

Gender

Distance

Time

These are population benchmarks

WMA age-grading tells you how your time compares to world-record standards. StrideIQ goes further — it tracks your individual recovery patterns, efficiency trends, and supercompensation curves from your own training data. Population benchmarks are a starting point. Your body's individual response is where real coaching begins.

Try the free calculators Start free trial

Common questions

What is a good 5K time for a beginner?

For a true beginner, finishing a 5K at any pace is the goal. A sub-35:00 first 5K is solid. Within 6–12 months of consistent training, most runners reach 25:00–30:00. WMA age-grading shows that a 50% score (recreational) is around 25:38 for a 30-year-old male — that is a reasonable early target.

How does age affect 5K performance?

WMA data shows 5K performance declines roughly 3–5% per decade from age 30–60, then accelerates after 65. A 30-year-old male at 70% age-grade runs 18:19; a 60-year-old at the same 70% grade runs 22:40. The decline is real but slower than most people assume before age 65.

Is a sub-20 5K good for my age?

A sub-20:00 5K for a 30-year-old male is about 64% age-graded — solidly Local Class. For a 55-year-old male, the same 20:00 scores 76% — well into Regional Class. For a 60-year-old it reaches 79%, approaching National Class. Age-grading contextualizes the same time differently depending on your age.

See times for other distances

Good 10K Times by Age →Good Half Marathon Times by Age →Good Marathon Times by Age →Full Calculator →

Data source: Alan Jones 2025 WMA Road Age-Grading Tables, approved by USATF Masters Long Distance Running Council (January 2025). Times computed from official age-factor tables and open-class world-record standards.