The 5K run is a

long-distance Long distance or Long-distance may refer to: *Long-distance calling * Long-distance operator * Long-distance relationship * Long-distance train *Long-distance anchor pylon, see dead-end tower Footpaths * Long-distance trail *European long-d ...

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ac ...

competition over a distance of . Also referred to as the 5K road race, 5 km, or simply 5K, it is the shortest of the most common road running distances. It is usually distinguished from the

5000 metres The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a stan ...

track running Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

event by stating the distance in kilometres, rather than metres. Among road running events, the 5K distance is mostly popular with novice or infrequent runners or joggers, as it is comparatively easier to complete the distance without

endurance training Endurance training is the act of exercising to increase endurance. The term endurance training generally refers to training the aerobic system as opposed to the anaerobic system. The need for endurance in sports is often predicated as the need o ...

. The 5K distance also makes the distance suitable for people looking to improve or maintain their general

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate ...

, rather than develop long-distance running abilities. The brevity of the distance means that less time is required to take part in the activity and that people from a wide range of ages and abilities may participate. From a

physiological Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...

perspective, five kilometres is towards the low end of endurance running. The combination of the activity's simplicity, its low cost, and medium exercise intensity mean that it is often recommended by medical organisations and healthcare professionals. Like all physical activity, regular 5K runs can improve

cardiovascular The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

function and reduce

body fat Adipose tissue, body fat, or simply fat is a loose connective tissue composed mostly of adipocytes. In addition to adipocytes, adipose tissue contains the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of cells including preadipocytes, fibroblasts, vascular e ...

, as well as having

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...

benefits (see

runner's high The neurobiological effects of physical exercise are numerous and involve a wide range of interrelated effects on brain structure, brain function, and cognition. A large body of research in humans has demonstrated that consistent aerobic exerci ...

Events

Similar to other road running events, many organised 5K running events incorporate an element of

charity running A charity runner is a participant in a road race, usually of half marathon or marathon distance, who raises money or awareness for an established charitable organization. For more elite marathons, such as the World Marathon Majors, runners who ar ...

. Runners may elect to raise money for a chosen charity on the condition of their completion of the race. Raising money for charity is typically optional, with other participants

running for pleasure A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors pro ...

. The 5K distance is particularly popular among women and a number of annual women-only races are organised over the 5K distance. Running USA's 2012 analysis of participation in American road races showed that 58% of participants in 5K races were women. The race participation contrasts with women's participation in sport in general and in longer distance races particularly, where the same report showed the

gender bias Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...

was reversed. The Hot Chocolate 5K in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and the Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

are the largest organised 5K runs in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, having attracted over 20,000 and over 16,000 runners, respectively, in 2012. The number of runners ranked the Hot Chocolate 5K as the 20th largest road running event of any distance in the United States that year. There are several prominent 5K race series, including

The Color Run The Color Run is an event series and 5K run, five kilometer paint race, inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, that is owned and operated by The Color Run LLC, a for-profit company. It takes place in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, N ...

, an international, mass participation, city-based series involving coloured water showers, and the

parkrun Parkrun (stylised as parkrun) is a collection of events for walkers, runners and volunteers that take place every Saturday morning at more than 2,000 locations in 23 countries across six continents. Junior Parkrun (stylised as junior parkrun) ...

series, which is a worldwide network of free-to-enter, volunteer-led races occurring each weekend, originating in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. Unlike longer road races, such as the 10K run and

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

, the 5K distance is not commonly contested by elite distance runners. The Carlsbad 5000 is one of the few races that attract competitive elite fields and has seen several world bests for the distance (prior to the

IAAF World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...

's 2018 decision to begin recognising world records for the 5K). The IAAF, now

World Athletics World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...

did not go back to recognise the world best performances set at Carlsbad, which left a dilemma of known superior performances at Carlsbad and inferior world records that will last until the performances at Carlsbad are recognised or surpassed. Another annual American race,

Freihofer's Run for Women Freihofer's Run for Women is an annual five-kilometer road running competition for women that is usually held in late May or early June in Albany, New York, United States. First held in 1979, the race has grown into a sizable event that holds IAA ...

, also regularly has elite women competing in the road distance, as does the BOClassic in Italy. Elite racing almost exclusively takes place on the

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

for this distance. There is no official world championship event organised for the 5 km road distance. Championships over 5 km are held nationally in some areas, including the United States and

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. An annual North American 5K Championships was created in 2002, but the competition ceased after 2005.

Records

The 5 km road distance was introduced by

as a world record event in November 2017, with the inaugural record to be recognised after 1 January 2018 if the performances were equal to or better than 13:10 for men and 14:45 for women. Other statistical organisations, including the

Association of Road Racing Statisticians The Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics regarding road running races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road record ...

, record best times for the event.World Best Progressions- Road

(2013-12-21). Retrieved on 2014-01-18. Records for the 5K are often noted in

national records in athletics National records in athletics are the marks achieved by a nation's best athlete or athletes in a particular athletics event. These records are ratified by the respective national athletics governing body. A national record may also be the respectiv ...

All-time top 25

*+ =

en route ''En route'' may refer to: * ''En Route'' (novel), an 1895 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans * ''En Route'' (film), a 2004 German movie directed by Jan Krüger * En-route chart, in aeronautics * enRoute (credit card), Air Canada's credit card divisi ...

to longer performance

Men

*''Correct as of May 2022.''

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 13:18: *

Berihu Aregawi Berihu Aregawi (born 28 February 2001) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He placed fourth in the 10,000 metres at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Aregawi currently holds world record in the 5 kilometres road race. Career Berihu Aregawi was the br ...

also ran 12:52 (2021). *

Joshua Cheptegei Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (born 12 September 1996) is a Ugandan long-distance runner. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000 metres and silver medalist for the 10,000 metres, a two-time 10,000 m World champion from 2019 and 2022, Wor ...

also ran 13:13 (2021).

Women

*''Correct as of September 2022.''

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 14:49: *

Senbere Teferi Senbere Teferi (born 3 May 1995) is an Ethiopian professional middle- and long-distance runner who competes mainly in the 1500 metres and cross country running. She was the silver medallist at the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. ...

also ran 14:37 (2022), 14:49 (2022). * Yalemzerf Yehualaw also ran 14:44 (2022). *

Norah Jeruto Norah Jeruto Tanui ( kk, Нора Джеруто Тануй, born 2 October 1995) is a Kazakhstani (formerly Kenyan) steeplechase runner. She won the gold medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. She wa ...

also ran 14:46 (2019) and 14:48 (2021). *

Eilish McColgan Eilish McColgan (born 25 November 1990) is a Scottish middle- and long-distance runner. She is the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres champion with the Games record, and 5000 metres silver medallist. McColgan is a four-time European Champio ...

also ran 14:48 (2022).

Notes

References

List of world bests
World Best Progressions- Road

(2013-12-21). Retrieved on 2014-01-18.

External links

5K run training
from About.com {{5K road races * Road running distances Long-distance running distances