What Does Average Pace Mean When Running?

Any runner training for a half marathon, full marathon, or ultra-marathon will talk about average pace before the race, as they know roughly what time they need to run to achieve their desired finishing time. However, if you are only starting your running journey, you probably wonder what average pace means and if you should know what average pace I should be running at. I will now explain what does average pace mean when running.

What Does Average Pace Mean When Running?

The pace is the actual speed when you are running. It is the time spent running one km or mile, depending on the one used.

The average pace is when we take the total time spent running divided by how far we ran. For example, we run 5km in 30 minutes; therefore, our average pace is 6 minutes per km. The average pace varies from person to person. Another caveat is what your average pace is, will vary depending on the distance that you are running, so ideally, a runner will need to know the following when they are competing in these races:

5km average pace

10km average pace

10-mile average pace

Half marathon average pace

Full marathon average pace

Once we know our average pace for these distances, we know what speed we should run at throughout the race to prevent burnout. This can vary slightly from kilometer to kilometer, as some kilometers will have uphill sections, and some will have downhill sections.

What Is A Good Average Pace For A Beginner?

The average pace will vary significantly for a beginner runners, depending on their fitness level. I don’t think those beginner runners should be concerned about average pace when starting running. They should be trying to build up their mileage slowly but surely. If you run too hard as a beginner, you will be in danger of getting injured.

I would always recommend to a total newbie runner to follow a couch 2 5k program which alternates between walking and running, increasing the running each week for eight weeks.

A good average pace for a beginner runner is about 7mins per km, but some people will be faster, and others will be slower. If you are overweight, you may find running very hard, so your pace will be much slower.

The most important thing as a beginner runner is that you are running at a pace where you can converse with another runner and breathe easily without gasping for air.

By running slowly, you should be able to build up your mileage.

What Is A Normal Average Pace When Running?

The typical average pace when running will vary from distance to distance; it will also determine whether the runner is male or female, as males are generally faster than females. In addition, people usually get slower as they get older, so age significantly influences the normal average pace.

The terrain we are running on will also significantly affect the average pace. If it is incredibly hilly, we will run slower, or if it is a trail run, we will run slower than if it was on a nice, flat road. Weather conditions will also affect the normal average pace. If we run into a gale-force wind, we will run slower than if the wind was at our backs.

The average pace for the experienced normal runner is between 5.30 and 6.10 per km, equating to roughly 9.00 or 10.00-minute miles.

The average page for an elite runner would be between 2.30 and 3.00 per km, equating to roughly 4.00 or 5.00-minute miles.

Why Are Runners So Concerned About Average Pace?

Nearly all runners are concerned about the average pace as everybody wants to improve their time. Suppose my average pace is slower than it was six months ago. In that case, it means I am slowing down, which can be very annoying for runners when they are doing all the proper training. In an ideal world, I would like to see my average pace getting faster, even if it is only by a second or two.

Once runners know their average pace for the race distance entered, they can keep themselves on track for their desired finishing time. When they reach the last couple of km, and their legs feel strong, they can push on faster than the average pace and maybe set a personal best time.

Don’t Let Average Pace Get In Your Head

Spending too much time thinking about our average pace can interfere with our running training as we feel about our average pace every time we run. We still need to do our long runs at a nice leisurely conversational pace, which should be slower than our average pace. The biggest problem is that some runners do all their running at their average pace, meaning they never get faster despite continuously training.

Final Thoughts

I hope that you now have a much greater understanding of average pace. What exactly are people talking about when they are talking about average pace? Who should be worried about average pace, and who should not even be thinking about their average pace when running? Please comment below if you have anything further to add to the topic or your experience with average pace.