Running 10 miles is no easy feat.
It requires a lot of physical and mental fortitude, so running 10 miles is not just something you can jump into—it takes consistent training.
But, once you’re ready and fit enough to run the distance without stopping, how long does it take to run 10 miles?
What is the average 10 mile time?
In this article, we will look at the average time to run 10 miles, how long it takes to run 10 miles at different paces, and factors that affect how long it takes to run 10 miles.
We will cover:
- How Far Is 10 Miles?
- How Long Does It Take to Run 10 Miles?
- What Is the Average Time to Run 10 Miles?
Let’s jump in!
How Far Is 10 Miles?
For those more familiar with kilometers, 10 miles is approximately the same as 16.1 kilometers.
For beginners who are starting to think about longer distance runs, running 10 miles is almost a mile longer than running three 5k races back to back!
If you decide to run 10 miles on a standard 400-meter running track, you will need to run just over 40 full laps to run 10 miles.
How Long Does It Take to Run 10 Miles?
Whether you’re much slower than the average runner or a record setter in your local running community, either way, running 10 miles takes a while.
For example, if you run a modest 9-minute pace, running 10 miles takes 90 minutes.
Because most runners fall within the 6-12 minutes per mile pace, running 10 miles usually takes between 1-2 hours for most runners, although there’s plenty of variability on either end of that.
Your 10 mile run time is entirely dependent on your running speed.
There are quite a few factors that will affect how long it takes you to run 10 miles, as these factors influence your running speed.
So when calculating, how long does it take to run 10 miles, consider the following variables:
#1: Fitness Level
Runners with higher levels of cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength and endurance will be able to run faster and longer than those in poorer physical shape.
#2: Experience Level
Runners who have been running for a couple of years will have a better sense of pacing and training than beginners.
#3: Terrain
Running 10 miles over hilly terrain or rugged trails will take longer than running on smooth road or a flat treadmill.
#4: Effort Level
Your effort plays a huge role in answering the question, how long does it take to run 10 miles?
Think about the difference between a race intensity effort and a slow, conversational run with your friends.
If you’re trying to run 10 miles as fast as possible, your finish time will be quicker than if you’re just trying to enjoy a leisurely jog.
#5: Age
Older runners tend to run slower because there’s a decline in muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia) and aerobic fitness that tends to accompany aging.
#6: Sex
Men typically run somewhat faster than women (on average) due to a higher percentage of lean body mass and relative size of the heart and lungs.
#7: Weather
Running 10 miles on a hot and humid day or during a heavy rainstorm, snowstorm, or windstorm can have a surprisingly large effect on your 10 mile run time.
The longer your run, the more affected you may be by the environmental conditions.
These are all factors that can affect answering the question, how long does it take to run 10 miles? But now, let’s check out the average times!
What Is the Average Time to Run 10 Miles?
So, let’s get to it. How long does it take to run 10 miles? What is the average 10 mile run time during training runs?
According to Strava, when it comes to training, the average pace for a logged run is 9:53 per mile.
Because there are millions of Strava users, and this data comes from the average across both sexes over the entire year (2021), this is a good approximation of a typical training pace.
Of course, some logged runs will be races, and many of the runs people logged are probably much shorter than 10 miles, but the overall aggregate of data makes this best estimation of the pace for everyday runs.
Taking this information, we can easily figure out how long it takes to run 10 miles for the average runner.
9:53 = 9.88 minutes/mile x 10 miles = 99 minutes, or 1 hour, 38 minutes.
Therefore, the average 10 mile time is about 1 hour, 38 minutes.
What about racing? What’s the average time to run 10 miles in a race?
There’s an absence of enough data on 10-mile race times because it’s not a very common race distance, but we can use half marathon data to estimate the average 10 mile run time in a race.
Running Level reports that the average half marathon finish time is 1:43:33 for men and 2:00:12 for women.
These results work out to 7:54 min/mile and 4:55 min/km pace for men and 9:10 min/mile and 5:42 min/km pace for women, respectively.
We can then use these paces to extrapolate how long it takes to run 10 miles.
For men, a 7:54 pace would work out to just about 76 minutes to run 10 miles, which is a little more than 1 hour and 15 minutes.
For women, running 9:10 pace for 10 miles would result in a finish time of 91 minutes, or just over 1.5 hours.
Because the range of abilities of runners varies widely, we’ve put together a table that shows you how long it takes to run 10 miles at different running speeds and paces.
The first column is your running speed, which refers to how many miles per hour you’re running. You probably won’t know this number unless you’re running on a treadmill.
The second column is your pace, or the time it takes you to run a mile.
The third column is how long it takes to run 10 miles at the given speed and pace.
| Speed (mph) | Pace (min/mile) | How Long Does It Take to Run 10 Miles? |
| 4 | 15:00 | 2:30:00 |
| 4.1 | 14:38 | 2:26:20 |
| 4.2 | 14:17 | 2:22:51 |
| 4.3 | 13:57 | 2:19:32 |
| 4.4 | 13:38 | 2:16:22 |
| 4.5 | 13:20 | 2:13:20 |
| 4.6 | 13:02 | 2:10:26 |
| 4.7 | 12:45 | 2:07:40 |
| 4.8 | 12:30 | 2:05:00 |
| 4.9 | 12:14 | 2:02:27 |
| 5 | 12:00 | 2:00:00 |
| 5.1 | 11:46 | 1:57:39 |
| 5.2 | 11:32 | 1:55:23 |
| 5.4 | 11:07 | 1:51:07 |
| 5.6 | 10:43 | 1:47:09 |
| 5.8 | 10:21 | 1:43:27 |
| 6 | 10:00 | 1:40:00 |
| 6.1 | 9:50 | 1:38:22 |
| 6.2 | 9:41 | 1:36:46 |
| 6.3 | 9:31 | 1:35:14 |
| 6.4 | 9:23 | 1:33:45 |
| 6.5 | 9:14 | 1:32:18 |
| 6.6 | 9:05 | 1:30:55 |
| 6.7 | 8:57 | 1:29:33 |
| 6.8 | 8:49 | 1:28:14 |
| 6.9 | 8:42 | 1:26:57 |
| 7 | 8:34 | 1:25:43 |
| 7.1 | 8:27 | 1:24:30 |
| 7.2 | 8:20 | 1:23:20 |
| 7.3 | 8:13 | 1:22:12 |
| 7.4 | 8:06 | 1:21:05 |
| 7.5 | 8:00 | 1:20:00 |
| 7.6 | 7:54 | 1:18:57 |
| 7.7 | 7:48 | 1:17:55 |
| 7.8 | 7:42 | 1:16:55 |
| 7.9 | 7:36 | 1:15:57 |
| 8 | 7:30 | 1:15:00 |
| 8.1 | 7:24 | 1:14:04 |
| 8.2 | 7:19 | 1:13:10 |
| 8.3 | 7:14 | 1:12:17 |
| 8.4 | 7:09 | 1:11:26 |
| 8.5 | 7:04 | 1:10:35 |
| 8.6 | 6:59 | 1:09:46 |
| 8.7 | 6:54 | 1:08:58 |
| 8.8 | 6:49 | 1:08:11 |
| 8.9 | 6:44 | 1:07:25 |
| 9 | 6:40 | 1:06:40 |
| 9.1 | 6:36 | 1:05:56 |
| 9.2 | 6:31 | 1:05:13 |
| 9.3 | 6:27 | 1:04:31 |
| 9.4 | 6:23 | 1:03:50 |
| 9.5 | 6:19 | 1:03:09 |
| 9.6 | 6:15 | 1:02:30 |
| 9.7 | 6:11 | 1:01:51 |
| 9.8 | 6:07 | 1:01:13 |
| 9.9 | 6:04 | 1:00:36 |
| 10 | 6:00 | 1:00:00 |
| 10.1 | 5:56 | 0:59:24 |
| 10.2 | 5:53 | 0:58:49 |
| 10.3 | 5:50 | 0:58:15 |
| 10.4 | 5:46 | 0:57:42 |
| 10.5 | 5:43 | 0:57:09 |
| 10.6 | 5:40 | 0:56:36 |
| 10.7 | 5:36 | 0:56:04 |
| 10.8 | 5:33 | 0:55:33 |
| 10.9 | 5:30 | 0:55:03 |
| 11 | 5:27 | 0:54:33 |
| 11.2 | 5:21 | 0:53:34 |
| 11.4 | 5:16 | 0:52:38 |
| 11.6 | 5:10 | 0:51:43 |
| 11.8 | 5:05 | 0:50:51 |
| 12 | 5:00 | 0:50:00 |
Running 10 miles may take you upwards of 90-120 minutes, but it is a fantastic workout for building your endurance and mental strength.
Build up gradually to running 10 miles without stopping; don’t jump from running 3-4 miles a day to testing yourself with a 10-mile run.
Instead, progressively increase the length of one long run per week, working towards the 10-mile distance. Listen to your body and rest or back down when necessary; you’ll get there, but rushing progress can increase the risk of injury.
Enjoy the process!
Looking for some tips and tricks to help you train to run faster and further? Check out our guide here: How To Run Faster and Longer, 7 Strategies For Success.
